A/N: Replaying Awakening makes me like the Anders model for DAII a lot more. I mean, I liked the earrings and ponytail Anders had in DA:A, but most of his character I felt was placed in DAII more. (You can't compare Anders' quirkiness in Awakening with Alistair - Alistair is just too awesome!) Even though I hated Anders' look when I first started playing DAII, I actually like him a lot more now. Of course, he could never beat Fenris, who is honestly the single ONLY reason I played DAII. Were it not for Fenris (Gideon Emery has a voice that will make anyone attractive!), I would have never gotten past the first Act, let alone play DAII. Sorry DAII fans, but that game was just disappointing due to the reusing of dungeons OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I mean, how the hell did Bioware get away with that? I would've rated DAII a 5/10 at the most. (Maybe 6/10 - bonus points for Fenris) Anyhow, that's the end of my rant. Thanks for reading, please review, and sorry for lack of smut in this chapter!

Summary: Fenris broke Hawke's heart so that he can protect her from Danarius, leaving her devastated. She threatens him by moving on to Anders, who loves her but she shares little feelings for him. Fenris is seemingly unmoved by her threat and could care less. Hawke then tries hard to persuade herself that Anders may not be so bad, and that if Fenris does not want anything to do with her, she has little other choice than to move on. (We are now towards the end of Act II, chronologically speaking.)


Chapter 7: Morning After


When the sun rose that morning, it was the first thing that she felt underneath those heavy blankets. Her skin was suffocating under the cotton and demanded release. She lazily rubbed her eyes and combed the excess hair over her ear while snaking her arms out of her soft cave.

Her arm hit a rather sturdy, lengthy object as she set it down. Confused, she opened her eyes again to glance at the foreign arm on top of her. She turned over immediately and watched the blond mage breathe peacefully beside her, realizing what had happened in the past hours.

She didn't know how she felt, which could be construed as rather senseless, seeing how the 'deed' was already done. If she backed out on Anders now, she would seem no better than Fenris. It wasn't as if she didn't find herself having feelings for Anders – he was a sweet, caring man. Yet, her feelings were far from a straight arrow right now.

His eyelashes were so long. And his unshaved face showed how hard he had been working at the clinic – all for the people – all for the freedom of mages like himself.

She lifted her hand to brush away the hair from his face and to her surprise, his own arm rose from on top of her and grabbed her delicate hand. His eyes fluttered open and stared straight into hers, a smile emerging from his lips.

"Good morning," He greeted, his voice a little dry.

She smiled back, her heart resuming its normal pace. "Morning."

He groaned softly and placed her palm on his cheek, closing his eyes.

"Let's just call off all the events we have for today and stay here instead."

She giggled. "Isn't that a little irresponsible?"

"It is," He replied as he sat up a little, rubbing his eyes. The sheets dropped to his waist and she could see that he was not wearing a shirt. He reached out to grab her by the waist and pull her closer to him. He head rested on her shoulder.

"Something isn't right," Anders suddenly said.

She looked up from her position and stared at him, slightly alarmed.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked, looking around as if she expected someone peeping in on them, or enemies ready to lash out at them.

"It seems I can't bring myself to let you go." He smiled as she hit him playfully, and then brought her closer against his chest. "You should just stay in my arms like this forever."

"You mean that?"

"Of course I mean it," He said, appalled that she would even ask. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you were opposed to 'us'." She reminded him.

He sighed. "I still am."

She sat up and looked at him sternly. "Still?"

He shook his head. "I've been lecturing myself on how stupid I am. I let my desires get the best of me. And now you're going to suffer for it."

"I am not." She insisted. Her heart beat faster, as expected. Anders was not going to leave her, was he? Was he going to declare last night as a one-time thing as well? Just like Fenris had?

She found herself scared again. It was a feeling that she was tired of having, tired of being afraid of. What was wrong with her? Was she really an easy target, as Fenris claimed?

Anders saw the horrified thoughts and worries from her expression and sat up next to her, cupping her face with his hands so that she would look into his eyes and know that he was telling the truth.

"You're beautiful," He said softly, lifting a hand to comb the tuft of golden hair behind her ear. His gaze on her was bewitching, endearing, and caring. "There is nothing wrong with you. I love you. It's just..."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"You know... with Justice and all. I can't... This can't... I mean, I don't even know how to deal with this situation with Justice looming in the back of my head. You know?"

She trembled at the idea that Justice would come out at any second.

"But we can get rid of him." She reassured him, placing her hand on his back. "I can try to see how to get rid of him. We can get through this together."

"But Justice has been with me for so long now. We are basically one entity..."

"You are certainly not." She reminded him. "The Anders I know if kind and gentle, not filled with hatred and thirst for blood."

"What if you're mistaken?"

"I am not." She needed to be resolute and firm in order to win him over.

Anders remained silent for a while, and then turned to look at the red shades handing in front of the window. After a few seconds, he sighed and looked to his lap, then at her again. "Sometimes, I am unsure of just who I am. I think that slowly... Jutice and I are becoming one. Pretty soon, there will not be a Anders and a Justice. Only a amalgamation of both of us in this body."

"That will not happen."

"If it does, I do not mind." He confessed.

"Her eyes widened. "What? Why not?"

"I have come to terms with him, Hawke..." Anders said calmly. "Justice has been corrupted by my ideas and experiences... perhaps this is really what I am. Perhaps I just never had it in me to admit it. But sooner and later, it will happen. Justice and I... we're inseparable now."

"No you aren't!" She exclaimed. "We can fix this!"

"You can't, Hawke." He said sadly, shaking his head. "No one can save me... from myself."

"I can save you. You just have to let me." She insisted. "That spirit inside you has haunted you for far too long – it is not who you really are. It will leave you feeling lonely inside, and ultimately destroy you. You know that, don't you?"

"He cannot destroy me." He reassured her. "He needs me to thrive."

She was silent. What more could she say? Words would not change Anders' views. He was insistent that Justice would bond with him permanently, and that the spirit would envelope him and his entire mind. The only way to solve this, of course, would be to get rid of Justice.

But how would she learn how to do that?

Her silence only served to make him nervous. He put an arm around her to snap her back into reality with him, and pull her to him.

"Don't worry," He hushed her. "I won't let my troubles bother you."

"But they do both me." She retorted. "I... I don't want you to leave me."'

He looked into her eyes for the umpteenth time that morning and smiled. "I would never go anywhere unless you tell me to." He kissed her on the forehead.

Hugging him tightly, she replied, "Good, because I can't bear the thought of you leaving. I don't like being... alone." She admitted this, quite truthfully. "Never again."

"Rest assured," He told her. "I would never be one of those men."

She smiled into his chest and squeezed him all the tighter.

"Though it does make one wonder," He started. Uh-oh. "What men have you been with? Should I know about them? Beat them up for you?"

She laughed. "No... he's..." She stopped and didn't know what to say. "It's just one man."

His curiosity got the better of him. "What? Do I know this mystery heart-breaker?"

She didn't reply. She didn't like where this was going.

"Hawke?" He tried to nudge her away from his chest to see her fact, but she remained glued to his chest, her breath heavy.

"I don't mean to upset you." He said. "I just wanted to talk to you about it. If it makes you feel any better, there aren't a lot of women I've been with before you either."

But it didn't make her feel better. She only kept thinking of the same time – of the same white hair and olive eyes. His expression... so serious all the time.

"I..." She spoke into his chest. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Anders asked. "For what?"

"I don't mean to be... illusive." She solemnly lifted her head up. "I just... don't want to be left alone again."

"Didn't I swear to you I wouldn't leave?"

She nodded. "It's just... hard. I don't mean to confuse you... I'm just still a little hurt."

"Well, that's what I'm here for." He said warmly, holding her hand in his.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation." She said sheepishly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"But I do," She insisted. "I didn't mean to bring down the mood."

And with that, she explained, in short, what had transpired a month ago with Fenris. She felt embarrassed to tell Anders. She didn't want him thinking that she was sleeping around, but he had been nothing but honest with her, and she owed him this much for her emotional response to his innocent prying. Of course, she excluded the part where she met Fenris and used Anders to threaten the elf into submission. That last part was unneeded.

"I was just confused." She explained. "But perhaps it was for the best that I move on. He was giving me terrible headaches..."

Or just aches in general.

"Well, I am glad you told me, nonetheless." He replied.

"You're not concerned I told you about my history with Fenris after ourlittle affair happened?"

"Truthfully?" His eyebrows raised. "I already knew about your history."

She was taken aback. A sudden anger and embarrassment grew inside her. "What? How? Has Fenris told everyone?"

Anders shook his head and placed an arm around her.

"When Varric went over to his mansion to talk, he stumbled upon Fenris sleep-talking." He explained. "Fenris said something about you, and Varric gathered the rest from context, I suppose."

She didn't know what to say, and Anders paused for a second before placing is head on her shoulder, proceeding in nuzzling her neck.

"But it doesn't bother me, love." He replied. "You are mine now. The elf can dream all he wants of you, but I have something better than a mere dream."

She blushed and arched her head back, inviting him explore more of her neck if he desired. "You... are not angry with me?"

"We all have our history." Anders said, his voice muffled in her hair. "If we all worried about our past loves, how do you think Isabella would turn out?"

Hawke pretended to think about it for a second. "Very disappointed and depressed, I assume."

Anders laughed and kissed down her neck, making his way down to her bosom. She let out a soft moan as his hands gently massaged her breasts.

"Trust me, there's nothing wrong with you. If anything, it's me you should be worry about. I'm the apostate, remember? Which makes me wonder: why me? What if you decided that you hated all apostate mages later on?"

She exhaled. "Don't be ridiculous. I don't hate mages, Anders. My views just differ from your own sometimes. But that should not stop us from being friends with one another."

He looked up. "Just friends?"

"Maybe more." She smiled, pulling him close to her once more.

"Well, I suppose I owe you a word of thanks."

"For what?"

"For loving me – for accepting me, despite the whole apostate thing. Oh, and the whole Justice ordeal as well." His humor had always mirrored her own; she found it hard to resist a grin. "You know, there might've been a time long ago when I could find it within myself to willingly let you slip away from me, to tell you 'No, we cannot be'. But now... I wouldn't even try, or think about it." His eyes beamed with happiness.

Usually, her heart would skip a beat as she was forced to recollect the night she shared with Fenris again. Waking up and finding him absent from her side – it was painful and never ceased to create aching to her heart. But Anders had stayed. He didn't abandon her. She had slept with him, and he was in bed with her this very moment, showering her with affection still.

For that, she was grateful.


After getting dressed and explaining to her mother who this strange gentleman was, who had spent the night with her daughter in her home no less, and having a somewhat awkward breakfast, filled with her mother's endless questions and harassing on poor Anders, Hawke dragged Anders out of her mansion, the both of them geared up for work.

"I think she likes me." He concluded as they stepped out into Hightown, bustling with characters. "It feels nice to be accepted."

"You'll wish you hadn't said that, trust me." She warned as they walked.

Hawke stopped at the steps going up to Fenris' Mansion. She was going to get Aveline, of course. But her tracks stopped as she re-evaluated herself. Fenris was not needed. She was fine without him. And after last night, she was convincing even herself that she deserved a second chance at love – and that her relationship with Anders was blossoming beautifully. She pushed the elf into the back of her mind and continued her trek.

She didn't want Varric to be asking Anders strange questions while they walked, so she figured she would just join them for cards later that night. Instead, she grabbed Isabella and Aveline instead. Walking down the steps from the Viscount's Keep, she noted how strange it was to see Anders traveling with only women. She smiled to herself and ran to catch up with them.

"What are you talking about?" She asked them.

"Anders is being his usual self," Aveline replied irritably.

"What?"

Anders turned to her, a piece of paper in his hand. No doubt Aveline had brought him news.

"Ser Alrik's plan is going into effect We must stop him!"

"'What?" She grabbed the sheet from his hands, the letter determining the templar's authority over the issue of a young maiden, Ella, who had disappeared into the Gallows Dungeons. "What does this have to do with -"

"The Tranquil Solution." Anders reminded. "It will be the death of us all! He means to abuse his power and make all mages Tranquil!"

"But why?"

"Because Templars seek control over -"

Anders' speech only served to entice arguments between himself and the Knight herself. They were constantly bickering about the like, while Isabella turned her head, rolled her eyes, and showed more interest in her nails and shoes than anything else. Meanwhile, Hawke tried her best to break things up.

"We'll go to the Gallows Dungeons." She reassured Anders.

"I know of a secret way," He suggested. "They'll never know we're coming. Follow me."


It didn't take very long for them to make it through the caves unannounced and unwelcome. But they nevertheless trekked through the grassy cave that smelled of mold, the air moist and clammy. Even her grip on her daggers were slippery.

As they neared another opening, each tiptoeing quietly against the stone walls, voices could be heard.

"No, please! I haven't done anything wrong!" A young and frightened female pleaded.

"That's a lie." A male voice, undoubtedly Alrik's, bluntly stated. His voice slow and threatening as he paused for a second and added delightfully, "What do we do to mages who lie?"

This sounded bad. Before Hawke could issue any orders, however, Anders had walked past her and was already at the doorway.

"I just wanted to see my mum. No one ever told her where they were taking me." The girl, presumably Ella, pleaded once more.

Anders murmured something under his breath, which Hawke assumed he was talking to himself. Yet there was something off. She reached out to grab his wrist and he turned to her, his face pale. He didn't explain himself when she whispered her question to him though.

Ella was looking nervously at the floor, her face pale as snow and her fingers fidgeting.

"So, you admit your attempted escape? You know what happens to mage girls who don't toe the line around here, don't you?" Alrik said nastily.

She dropped to her knees immediately. "Please, no! Don't make me Tranquil! I'll do anything!"

This had gone on for long enough. Hawke got out of her position behind Anders and walked past him, prepared for the ensuing conflict.

"That's right," Alrik said to the poor mage. "Once you're Tranquil, you'll do anything I ask."

"The Chantry frowns on Templars who take personal advantage of their charges." Hawke reminded him as she made her presence known. Alrik immediately turned to see them. If he was surprised by them, his steady face did not show it.

"Who's this?" Alrik asked to no one in particular.

Before anyone could answer, however, Hawke felt a familiar heat emit from her right, and when she turned to look at Anders, she realized what a bad idea it was to bring him.

"YOU FIEND WILL NEVER TOUCH A MAGE AGAIN!" Justice's voice boomed out of Anders like thunder, resonating in the small cave. His anger was apparent.

The fighting ensued, led by the charging spirit from the Fade himself. Hawke had little time to react, but managed nevertheless to get back up on her feet after being knocked down. Alrik still had a few Templars left with him to pose a fight of their own. But alas, their power did not pose much challenged for the seasoned ex-mercenary and her accomplices.

When the fight was over, she turned immediately upon Anders, whose eyes were still glowing as he looked over his surroundings like a bloodthirsty hound.

"THEY WILL DIE," He vowed aloud. "I WILL HAVE EVRY LAST TEMPLAR FOR THESE ABUSES!"

"The Templars are gone." Hawke reassured him. "You can stop glowing."

"EVERY ONE OF THEM WILL FEEL JUSTICE'S BURN!" He proclaimed, thrashing his hand back at them as if they were his enemy.

"Get away from me, demon!" Ella cowered in fear against the mossy rock, her hands flew up, as if she was hoping they would make her invisible or protect her.

Justice snapped around at her, and she flinched. He stomped madly over to the cowering young mage and boomed above her head, "I AM NO DEMON! ARE YOU ONE OF THEM, THAT YOU WOULD CALL ME SUCH?"

Hawke could tell that he was scaring the poor girl. Ella's trembling was disregarded by Justice, who looked angry enough to kill the mistreated mage. She needed to stop this.

"Anders." She said firmly. "That girl is a mage. We rescued her from being made Tranquil."

"SHE IS THEIRS! I CAN FEEL THEIR HOLD ON HER!" He yelled.

"She is the reason you're fighting, Anders." She reminded him. Isabella and Aveline only looked on in hesitation, unsure of what to do or say. "Don't turn on her now." Hawke warned him.

"Please, messere..." Ella was on her knees again, tears filled her eyes and she looked to the ground and squeezed her eyes shut.

Justice, controlling Anders' body, turned away from Hawke, his whole body beginning to glow like Fenris, except his hand rose up, lightning snapping around his palm. Hawke immediately ran to Ella, standing right next to Anders, opposite of him and in front of Ella, shielding the girl from harm.

"Anders!" She cried. He needed to get a hold of himself, now!

His arm still raised, it looked at if Hawke was about to get a serious injury from his shocking spell. Aveline and Isabella tried desperately to hold the mage back, but at that split moment, Anders' blue light flickered on and off, and then was off completely. He was bent over, his hand on his head, trembling.

Hawke put down her arms and turned to Ella, making sure the girl was okay. But Ella ran away immediately after seeing Anders' vulnerability. She figured it was the best time to make a run for it. Hawke motioned Aveline not to follow the young mage, and instead turned her attention to Anders, whose eyes looked tired and gloomy.

"Maker, no... I almost... If you weren't here..." His voice was trembling as he looked at her. "I... I need to go. I need to get out of here." And with that, he ran past her without a second glance.

She was unaware of what you do – should she go after him? Was it alright for him to be alone? What was she to do?

"Hawke," Aveline's voice snapped her back into focus as she glanced at the paper the knight presented to her. In it, Alrik's plan for the Tranquil Solution was rejected by the Knight-Commander, for which Hawke found herself being extremely relieved of. If she brought this news to Anders, perhaps he would feel better. She pocketed the note and the three girls left the murky cave, with the Templar bodies around them.

When they had finally made their way back into Darktown, the girls agreed that their best plan of action was to visit Anders first, to make sure he was okay.

"That letter ought to cheer him up." Isabella said. Hawke was glad they were on the same page. It made her feel a lot better.


Upon stepping foot into the clinic, she saw Anders hunched over his table, sorting through papers and mumbling to himself.

"Trash. Trash. Keep. Traash. Trash." He was saying. "Won't be needing that anymore..."

She recognized some of those paper as one that Anders likely had salvaged from their fight minutes ago. "This all Alrik had." Hawke informed him. "It looks like the Tranquil Solution began and ended with him." She emphasized, hoping that she sounded less worried and more happy.

"Let me see that!" Anders stood up and snatched the papers from her, skimming through it with his quick eyes before exclaiming, "The Divine... rejected the idea. Meredith... rejected the idea. This was... not what I expected." He confessed. She was unsure whether he was disappointed, relieved, or both. "Perhaps I should try talking to the Grand Cleric. Maybe she's more reasonable than I thought." He admitted. "Thank you, I will think on what you've said."

She was relieved to hear him say that, though it still left questions unanswered. He was walking away from her when she caught up to him to speak.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I am fine." He responded curtly, to which she was surprised. There was obviously something wrong. He was still not himself.

"Is there anything you'd like to talk about?" She asked once more. "You know... about... what happened in there?"

He shook his head. "I will speak to you... on another occasion." He whispered to her, eyeing Isabella and Aveline, who were a few feet away. Hawke took this to mean that the conversation would be personal, and so she nodded and smiled.

"I will see you later tonight." He promised. "I just need a few minutes to myself, thank you."

She nodded once more and was out the clinic door with her two other companions. If Anders needed time alone, she was gong to give it to him. However, she did expect answers too.


As promised, Hawke came to the Hanged Man as usual to meet her companions. Varric was already there, and so was Merill. They two of them were enjoying themselves and Hawke walked over to join them when Varric waved to her.

"Hawke and Fenris! Where have you guys been?"

She paused as a cold arm, covered in metal, brushed past her. Fenris greeted the dwarf and fellow Dalish elf like usual, and when Hawke sat down, he looked at her for a split moment before uttering her name as well, an action which would've normally made her belly flop.

"Hawke."

"Fenris." She replied in a rather lady-like manner as she sat down.

"So I am to understand here that you and Blondie are together?" Varric asked. Not too smoothly, one may add. It was a blunt question, to which Hawke reacted by coughing and choking on her water.

"Varric!" She exclaimed. "What a question to ask a lady!"

"Hey, I'm a perfect gentleman." He grinned. "Just wanted to know is all."

She didn't even dare look at Fenris when she answered. Her heart was beating faster at just the thought of it, and she face was warming up, fast. She wanted to know his reaction, but at the same time was afraid to look.

"Where did you hear that from?" She asked, frowning.

"Rivaini, of course. Who else?" Varric confessed, pointing at the pirate near the bar.

She was drinking with a few men, one of which seemed rather grabby. When Isabella noticed them watching, she gave them a wink and mouthed "Don't start the game without me!"

"And just how would Isabella have known?" Hawke asked inquisitively.

Varric shrugged. "You know... we find these kinds of things out..."

"How?" She demanded.

"So it IS true!" Varric decided. "Isn't it?"

"I don't blame her," Merill chimed in. "Anders seems like a nice guy. A little angry and too serious. But a nice guy. What do you think, Fenris?"

Hawke wanted to say something to interrupt whatever he was about to say. She didn't want to hear what his reaction was. She was too embarrassed. Yet she found no words to speak of. Curiosity got the better of her, and she turned in the brooding elf's direction to hear him speak.

He was staring straight at her. But his expression was not angry, depressed, or anything. It was rather amused. His hand clasped around his glass, and he looked at her with his mesmerizing eyes. When he spoke, that suave and powerful voice filled her ears pleasantly.

"I think Hawke should do whatever she feels like," He answered. "It doesn't matter to any of us who she is with, least of all me." His eyes glimmered in the bar, and she could tell immediately that under his nonchalant facade, he was a little angry. It served him right, she told herself. She had told him exactly what her intentions were, and if he had doubted her before, now he'll know that she was serious at least.

The bar chimes rang again and Anders walked in, smiling at them. Hawke took one last look at Fenris before diverting her attention to the mage. She felt herself actually enjoying her time with Anders. Better yet, she was enjoying the fact that Fenris was angry. She secretly complimented herself and her scheme, though that didn't erase the problems that would ensue.

The game started as soon as Isabella sat down. Aveline and the others would just have to wait when they got here for the next round.

"You do have an opinion on mages, don't you?" Anders asked the Rivaini as he set a card down. Isabella looked at it and then set one of her own cards down.

"Of course I do." She replied. "I just don't feel a constant need to bring it up all the time." Her card had won this round and everyone began piling up their gold before her.

"Mages don't worry me." Isabella explained. "And I don't believe the templars when they say I should be worried. I'm more likely to be shanked in a bar than eaten by an abomination. You can hear those coming a mile away."

Anders raised his brows, about to ask a question that Isabella answered seconds before he could even get the words out of his mouth.

"'Grr. Argh!' Oh, is that an abomination coming to eat us? We should get out of here!" She made faces as she spoke, and Hawke swore to herself that Isabella wouldn't be so bad off if she made a career out of acting.

Everyone on the table laughed at her impressions. Merill giggled while Fenris covered his smile with his free hand.

Anders paused a second. "Abominations don't go, "'Grr. Argh.'"

"They don't? I should rethink the whole thing, then." She laughed with the others.

"Maybe you should take this as a warning to talk about something else?" Hawke suggested, giggling with Merill.

"I still don't get how you're doing that!" Merill exclaimed to the pirate. "How come I always lose at this game?"

"It's because I cheat, silly kitten." Isabella winked. "Speaking of which, how about we play a round of the 'Dirty Orlesian' before Captain Man-Hands comes?"

"I have no idea what that is," Anders proclaimed. "And do not want to find out."

"Neither do I," came a voice from behind. Aveline had arrived, without her husband.

"Where's Ser Donnic?" Hawke asked.

"He's on night duty." She explained as she sat down. "And don't say anything about it – I already feel bad for making him work so much while I sit here playing cards with you guys. But he offered. I can't help it."

"Hey," Varric offered her cards. "I wasn't going to say a word about it."

Aveline sighed of relief and waited to be dealt in.

"So does that mean 'no' to 'Dirty Orlesian'?" Isabella asked, disappointed. Aveline glared at her and Isabella sighed, crossing her legs in her chair. "You're no fun at all."

As Hawke and her companions laughed, the time went by relatively fast, as did it usually when the gang was having fun. The next day, she reminded them would be free for them all, since she planned to spend time with her mother. It was a relief to her allies, she was sure. Besides, she needed time alone with Anders as well.

She felt like she was warming up to the mage, which made her feel strange and confused, because her feeling for Fenris was still clear as day for her. She loved him. She loved Fenris so much that she could barely stand it. But the situation she found herself in was troublesome. More than that, she had brought it on to herself willingly.

She liked Anders. He wasn't a bad person at all. But it was not Anders whom she dreamed of and fantasized about. Yet she kept reassuring herself that with time, she would learn to do the same with Anders.

Glancing at him beside her, she smiled as he met her gaze and underneath the table, she squeezed his hand. She was not too willing to show her affection to him in front of everyone, especially Fenris. But she was still glad that the empty hole in her heart had been filled, more or less.

At least, or so she thought.