A/N: Oh my gosh, guys, I'm back! Did you miss me? We had no Internet for a SUPER long time and it SUCKED. Anyway, straight to business, there's a lot going on in this chapter, and as my wonderful beta, Wynterkiss, has pointed out, there are chunks of it that are rushed and a tad confusing. I was going to go back and re-write, but the muse for this story is kind of drying up at the moment. It'll come back though. I really wanted to get this out, however, so here it is! Oh! And I'll mention it again at the bottom, but there's an intro to my next story in my profile if you wanna go take a look! It's short-ish, so it won't take long to read! I'm thinking that I lied to you guys when I said that I wouldn't be starting on it until I finished these two. The words just aren't coming for these and I'm super excited for that one! The winner of my naming contest will be contacted today, and announced in the first chapter! Anywho, read on!

Just as she always did Hawke rebounded like a Champion. Isabela tried to speak with her of the incident again, and failed, again. Everyone else knew to leave well enough alone. Things had changed in Hawke's life, and this time it was for the better. She had stable friendships, she had finally gotten her home back in order, there were even rumors that she and Fenris planned to marry! The only dilemma was over what they would do about the name issue. Hawke was still a hot commodity, everyone paid attention to what she did and when she did it, so when the two of them began sporting matching gold bands (simple, yet elegant, so the women said) everyone knew about it before the day was out. It was only natural though, she was the city's savior after all, and on a near weekly basis she saved it again, but now it was from a far more internal force.

There it was though, the thorn in Hawke's otherwise perfect side: mages. Every problem she had seemed to start with magic. Day in and day out, Orsino did this, Meredith did that- back and forth like children squabbling over a toy. Hawke arbitrarily sided with the Templars, who were, for the most part, right anyway, but she still saw the situation for what it was. A powder keg. No matter what she did, it was going to spark eventually. Orsino was a man more obsessed with his privacy (and his pride) than proving that he really wasn't doing anything wrong, which led Meredith to believe that he, and every other mage in the Circle, really was. Although Hawke stood by Meredith, she saw her with a measure of disdain as well. Despite the noble intentions that she hid behind, in the end all she was was a 'holier-than-thou' control freak who couldn't handle the word no. Even though Hawke didn't want to, there was a heavy part of her that couldn't help but compare her to Anders, as distant a memory as he was.

Mages were Fenris's problem as well, or a mage, which made it Hawke's problem too. They had heard nothing of Danarius since they had dispatched his last lackey, and that was unnerving. The two tried to avoid letting it eat at them, they carried on with their lives, but the fact was always there, Danarius was still alive. However, time marched on.

It was a surprisingly slow day at the Gallows. There were only a few Templars out and about and Knight-Captain Cullen stood in his same, stagnant place. It was not Hawke that came today though, but Fenris, and of course that was the first thing Cullen questioned when he approached.

"Where is Ser Hawke?" He used Hawke's honorary title, mostly because that was the way Cullen saw her, but also in a failed attempt to emasculate Fenris. Fenris didn't care. He actually preferred that Hawke hold the titles, it was more attention than he could handle as it was.

"She was still in bed when I left." His dislike of attention did not stop him from flinging passive-aggressive mud back though, and Cullen's jealousy was not something that was easily curbed.

"Then do tell, why are you here?" He snapped.

Fenris sighed, this was not why he was here. He looked Cullen dead in the eye as he spoke, and without of hint of sarcasm he said, "I came to thank you." Cullen looked puzzled. It did not occur to him what Fenris could be talking about, so he continued, "She would not be alive if weren't for you."

Then the two shared a moment of silence before Cullen spoke, "She can take care of herself, she doesn't need you, but... she trusts you, and that's enough for me."

Things were always tense and they always would be, but at least now there was some sort of mutual understanding between them. Cullen didn't like Fenris. Fenris didn't like Cullen. But they dealt with each other, for Hawke.

It was the beginning of what would be one of the longest days in Hawke's life. She stood in Isabela's bedroom at the Hanged Man. It was the crack of dawn and hardly a soul was awake, but Isabela was quite adamant that this be taken care of first thing.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. What is this, Isabela?" Hawke asked with exasperation. She wasn't sure exactly what she and Merril were looking at, but Isabela seemed sure of it.

"Your wedding dress." Isabela replied, matter-of-factly.

Hawke was speechless, so Merril spoke for her, "I think it's... lovely? Is it lovely?"

"It isn't even a dress." Hawke added.

"That doesn't matter, Hawke. Fenris is going to love it." Isabela nodded.

"I'm so glad you didn't invite Aveline to this little get-together." Hawke shook her head.

"Just put it on!" The queen commanded.

"What? No!" Hawke protested.

"Now! You don't have to show us, just trust me. You and Fenris have already slept together, so something has to be different tonight. Leave it under your clothes for the day, trust me, trust me, trust me!" Isabela repeated.

"Trust you? Do you have any idea what happens when I trust you? Bad things!"

"Oh come on, do you really think Fenris's reaction is going to be anything negative?"

"I suppose not, but if anything, and I mean anything, about this entire day goes south I am blaming you."

"Oh come on, you're getting married, what's the worst that could happen?"

Merril spoke up again, "Well, now that you've said that, probably everything."

How right she was.

"Is Hawke here? Elthina needs her." Sebastian had shown up at the mansion, only to find that the woman he was looking for was already gone. It was hardly light out, but she apparently had something important to do with Isabela.

"I have need of her as well, she should be back soon." Fenris replied.

"Perhaps we should simply go and find her, Elthina seemed quite worried."

"Perhaps we should. To the Hanged Man then."

"Why would she be-"

"Don't even ask. I don't know."

It didn't take long for them to get there, and they didn't even have to go inside. Hawke and company were exiting as they came down the stairs. "Ugh, why did I ever agree to this?" Fenris heard Hawke mutter before she caught sight of him.

"Agree to what?" He asked.

Hawke covered quickly, "Coming out here this early in the morning for nothing."

"Well, I have something," Sebastian answered, "Elthina wants to speak with you, right away."

"Alright, since I'm up..." Hawke sighed.

"I have to head to home, I'm afraid I'm awfully tired." Merril explained.

Hawke nodded to her, "That's fine, I'll see you later then."

"I'm coming with you though! Aren't you glad?" Isabela asked.

"Probably not as much as you think I should be."

"Probably." She agreed.

The Chantry was just as quiet as the rest of the city, Elthina was the only one up and moving. The conversation was relatively simple, yet another request that Hawke couldn't refuse. An agent of the Divine herself was coming to Kirkwall and of course it was on Hawke to vouch for the city.

"When will this agent be here?" Hawke asked.

"Any moment now, that's why I was so urgent about this." Elthina explain as she disappeared up the stairs.

"Well, that was nice of her to lay on you." Isabela added, "I'll bet she's going up to take a nap."

"Oh, quiet Isabela." Sebastian scolded.

"What kind of name is 'Sister Nightingale' anyway?" Isabela continued.

As she and Sebastian began to discuss the various nuances of the Divine's naming procedures Hawke pulled Fenris down to the pews. "Alright," she said, "what's on your mind? You've had that look on your face all morning."

"What look?" Fenris question with an almost aggressive tone.

"The 'I have something to talk about, but I don't want to interrupt all your important Champion business' look. You seem to be forgetting though, if you don't interrupt you'll probably never get to talk to me, and more than that," Hawke put a hand on his arm, "you're far more important than any of this."

He smiled back at her, "Ah, but if I did, we'd stop having these moments."

"Oh, I'm sure I'd think of something. So what is it?"

"My sister. She's going to be here, today. If- if it's really her, I think I want her to be at the wedding." Fenris had been in contact with the woman he believed to be his sister, Varania, for some time. He and Hawke had even sent her money to get to Kirkwall.

"Okay, I don't see why that would be a problem." Hawke nodded, "Where and when?"

"This afternoon, at the Hanged Man."

Hawke sighed before pointing out the elephant in the room, "And if this is a trap?"

Fenris had to look away for a moment, "Then we kill them."

They had talked this subject dry, Hawke had made clear her objections to killing Varania, betrayal or not. She had come to accept that she was biased though, even though she understood that it wasn't the same situation, she couldn't help but compare Varania to Bethany. So she didn't say anything about it. She smiled and kissed his cheek, "I swear though, Fenris, we are getting married today. There will be no more putting it off."

He laughed, "I agree. How many times has it been now?"

"Five, and we're already wearing the rings, so we really should-" Hawke was interrupted by the sound of the Chantry doors swinging open. The group quickly assembled for this 'Sister Nightingale', but Isabela and Hawke found themselves to be far more acquainted with her than they had presumed.

Fenris recognized the Orlesian woman and immediately turned to see Hawke's reaction, she seemed awestruck. "Leliana!" Isabela exclaimed first.

"Uh- Isabela..." Leliana's accent was still very much intact.

"Oh, don't be so shy! What are you doing here?"

"I am Sister Nightingale. I am here on behalf of the Divine." She sheepishly turned away from the embarrassing memory she had with Isabela, "Ser Hawke, is that you?"

Hawke seemed to take on a different persona in the moment she greeted Leliana, "Indeed, Sister, in the flesh."

"I should have known you wouldn't be content in your station. I think the Maker himself designed you to be, relatively indestructible." They shared a short laugh.

"I can only assume how you know Isabela, Sister, but how do you know Hawke?" Sebastian asked.

"We met in Lothering many, many years ago. More than a decade now, I think."

"Indeed." Hawke agreed, "It seems like a lifetime ago."

There was an odd air of calm between the two, an unspoken bond. Hawke had spoken with Fenris about her, but Isabela and Sebastian couldn't understand it. "I hate to get down to business so quickly," Leliana resumed, "but I'm afraid my time here is, unfortunately, limited."

"Yes, yes," Hawke said, "you need to know how the city is doing. The Divine is afraid of another Imperium, but I do not believe her drastic measures are yet necessary."

"Yet necessary?"

"I will not lie to you, Kirkwall is on edge, but to march on us now would simply lead to a heinous amount of deaths, which only ends in more resentment."

"I see. Still, the Grand Cleric needs to leave here, I do not believe it to be safe."

"I agree, but I doubt she will." Hawke turned, "Sebastian, can you speak to her?"

"Of course." He replied.

"Good." Leliana said, then she paused, unaware of how to proceed.

Hawke still knew her old friend, "What is it?"

Leliana changed subjects quickly, "Just- I know the past can't be changed, but do you ever wonder what could have been? I mean, if you could change things, would you?" Leliana thought it almost inappropriate to ask, but she knew she might not get another chance. Sebastian and Isabela once again looked puzzled, but Fenris eagerly awaited Hawke's answer.

She seemed to contemplate the question for a few seconds, "I know what could have been. I know that there are any number of things I would like to change, but I also know what I would lose if I did. Every time I think about it I come to the same conclusion, I'd be too damn selfish to change anything."

"I don't think we're talking about the same thing..."

"I know what you're talking about, Leliana, some things just are."

Leliana was silent for another long moment, "I think I understand what you mean." She sighed, "I have to go now, but... I wanted to say thank you."

"Oh? What for?"

"Don't you remember? What you told me before I left! Everyone thought I was crazy, and I was so afraid of dying and, and you said 'Leliana, if you want to go, you go, because the only person you have to answer to is you, and if you die, well, at least you die a hero.' Oh, how I wish you could have come with me! You might have butted heads with Morrigan, but you would have gotten along fabulously with Oghren and Alistair, and the Warden's dog, you would have loved him! He was-"

"Leliana! You're welcome." Hawke stopped her rambling.

"Oh, yes, I should be going I suppose. Goodbye, Hawke."

"Goodbye, Sister Nightingale."

Leliana left the group in a stunned silence. Well, for Isabela it was a stunned silence. "Wait, wait, I hate to sound insensitive Hawke, but, you had, friends?"

"I used to have a lot of friends, actually."

"Weird."

"Yeah, I know." Hawke smiled, "Anyway, I need breakfast, so, I'll see you two around." She nodded her goodbye to Isabela and Sebastian as she and Fenris left.

It was a serious moment for Hawke, and it left her thinking once again about what could have been, all the things that might have gone differently. Say Ser Clark hadn't ever- Well, she would have probably wound up marrying Cullen, having kids, settling down, and she would have been miserable. What if the Blight had never happened? All those lives, saved. She would have eventually worked her way to Lake Calenhad, and with all her determination she could have even been called Knight-Commander Hawke one day, but she would have been alone. Was she really so selfish that she would prefer all those people to be dead than to deal with life without Fenris? No, if the Blight hadn't happened she wouldn't even know that Fenris existed, yet alone have to make that decision, but still, it frightened her that no matter how she thought of it, she would rather have him. Hawke knew it wasn't rational, things are the way they are and she shouldn't feel bad about something she had no control over.

"Are you alright?" Fenris asked from the seat next to her, snapping Hawke out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Of course." She shook her head and picked up her fork again, she had almost forgotten her food.

"Hawke, you can lie to everyone else, but not to me. What is wrong?"

"It is nothing, Fenris, don't worry about it."

"Is it Varania? I did not mean to upset you so, I-"

"No, Fenris, I have made my opinion on that clear, but I have accepted that I cannot change your mind."

He stopped for a moment, the weight of her statement sinking in. She loved him enough to let him kill his sister, even though she objected to it so strongly. "Then, what are you thinking about that's distracting you from your food? Nothing stops you from food."

She let out a staccato laugh before turning somber, "I was just thinking about how I answered Leliana's question, I almost wish I had been lying to her."

"What?" Fenris wasn't sure exactly what Hawke meant.

"I know it's just something people say, but the more I thought about it I realized that I really wouldn't have stopped the Blight itself if it meant losing you. That scares me."

He didn't even think, the words barely had time to process before his mouth was on hers, his hand in her hair, pressing her to him. She wrapped her arm around him in return. When they broke for air they didn't part, they remained forehead to forehead as he spoke, "I do not have words for how much I love you."

"Nor do I."

They shared a silent moment before Hawke attacked him and he responded in kind. Hawke moved to straddle him and they were hot and heavy until Fenris moved to take off her top, then a realization hit her. She was wearing Isabela's 'wedding dress'. She stopped him and he made an adorable noise of protest, or at least, to her it was adorable. "I know, I know," she said, "but we can't right now, just trust me."

Hawke's raised eyebrow did nothing for clarification. "Alright..."

She bit her lower lip in thought, which was not helping matters, but eventually she managed to speak, "Fenris, about tonight..."

"Yes?" He was not sure where this conversation was going, but he was worried it was not going to be good for him, luckily he was wrong.

Speaking of lust was not Hawke's forte, and this was incredibly difficult for her, but she managed. She leaned in to his ear and whispered, "Tonight, I want it rough. No more of this sweetness, I want to know that I belong to you, and only you." Ever since Fenris had found out about Hawke's past their love-making had been tender and as much as she appreciated it, she grew tired of it. Hawke could feel him hardening beneath her, "I don't want to be loved, I want to be fucked. Can you do that for me?"

His voice was a low growl, "If you do not get off of me I will do so right now."

She reluctantly pried herself off of him and returned to her food without another word. He did not know where her confidence came from, but he certainly wasn't about to deny her what she wanted. Besides, it was what he wanted, too.

This was undoubtedly the most awkward meal Fenris had ever sat through, but Hawke acted unfazed. It was almost upsetting to him to think that she had wound him up so completely and he had had such a minimal effect on her. When he stood up he placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, the simple touch caused her to jolt up. Fenris had to chuckle, his concern resolved, "You are quite the actress, aren't you?"

"I am simply... focused. That is all." She sighed, "We should probably get ready, the day is not going to wait forever."

After they had donned their armor they set out once again, acquiring the aid of Aveline and Varric for the rest of the morning's events. They had their usual set of chores to take care of, a blood mage here, a corrupt official there, and somewhere along the road Isabela had wound up tagging along as well. By three in the afternoon they had finished, but there was one more task that hounded them.

"Do you think you're ready for this, Broody?" Varric asked when the reached the Hanged Man.

"It does not matter whether or not I am ready." Fenris replied.

"So no?" Isabela inferred.

"I am not sure." He admitted. The group turned to Hawke, who was trying to sense the presence of magic in the building. "Anything?"

She was silent for another moment before answering, "No. Not a thing."

"That's good then!" Isabela exclaimed.

"No, that is very, very bad." Hawke replied.

"Why?" Fenris questioned.

"There is always magic here, as with most everywhere else."

"So?" Varric piped in, "No magic is good magic, right?"

"No. Not in this case. Magic is everywhere, but something is stopping me from sensing any in there."

"Could it be anything other than a crazy magister?" Isabela questioned.

"Well yes, but all of those things are far less likely and, well, worse." Hawke explained.

"Then we go in prepared." Fenris stated, his face set with anger.

Hawke simply nodded back at him as they entered. The Hanged Man was a little more sparse than it normally was, the place didn't normally heat up until much later anyhow. A few patrons dotted the corners, making it simple for Fenris to pick her out, sitting at a table in the center of the room. "Varania!"

The hope in his voice broke Hawke's heart, especially when the elf looked up at him. Hawke had always been good at reading faces, and that was not the face she wanted to see. Things were about to go south very quickly. Varania spoke, "It is you."

"I remember you. We used to-"

"Fenris!" Hawke couldn't handle it, she cut him off.

He took her interruption far differently than she intended, "Oh. Varania, this is-"

"Fenris!" Hawke repeated as the thud of footsteps came from the stairs.

Varania stood and backed away, "I am sorry, Leto."

"You led him here." Fenris growled as the magister approached.

"Don't be so hard on her, my pet, she had no choice." Danarius spoke as he descended the last steps. "And this is your new mistress?" He no longer acknowledged Fenris, "Hawke, correct? I should have you know that he used to love me like he loves you, and-"

"Shut your mouth, Danarius!"

He pushed air through his teeth in an irritated sigh, "Normally, I would offer you a heinous amount of money and favors for his return, but we both know that you aren't about to agree to that, and let's face it, I want you dead."

"Well good," Hawke replied, "at least we're on the same page."

Then the battle began. Within moments everyone was occupied with their own opponent. It wasn't long before two hordes of slavers had gone down, but some necromantic force soon brought them back to their feet, stronger than they had already been. They weren't human anymore, and they had a tenuous grip on that to begin with. Demons populated the room as well, each bringing their own brand of terror to the fight.

Fenris locked blades with shambling skeleton, who abruptly fell to the floor. As did the rest of the otherworldly enemies in the room. Fenris turned to find Aveline, Varric and Isabela sharing the same puzzled look.

They all seemed to notice him at once. Danarius still stood, but he did not move. He didn't speak, he didn't conjure up the tiniest spell. He just stared ahead, blank. "Holy shit." Varric uttered, "He's Tranquil."

Fenris didn't hesitate, "All the easier to kill." He ripped the heart clean from the magister's chest, his body toppling to the floor.

It was only then that his rage cleared and he saw her, lying on the floor just as motionless as Danarius. He rushed to her side, holding her in the same manner he had the last time she had collapsed like this, only this time she showed no sign of waking. "Hawke! Hawke!" He shouted, disgusted with himself for not noticing her earlier. He had been so blinded by his anger that he had completely forgotten everything but his intent to kill Danarius.

She was entirely limp in his arms, but there were no visible wounds, nothing that could lend itself to a cure. "Did either of you see what happened?" Varric asked Aveline and Isabela.

"No." They answered in unison, dumbstruck by the situation.

It was a tense silence as Fenris clung to Hawke's lifeless body. Where would anyone go from here? The realization sunk in that Fenris wasn't the only one that was all but lost without Hawke. Sure, they would move on eventually, but to what? She was Varric's best friend. She was half the reason Aveline could handle her job. She was Isabela's anchor, Merril's sanity, Sebastian's compass.

"I can heal her." A small voice spoke from the corner.

Fenris could hardly believe what he was hearing, "What?"

"I can- I think I can heal her." It was Varania. In truth, things weren't as simple as selling her brother for power, she really hadn't had much of a choice, but she felt that this was her fault all the same. Whether Leto killed her or not, she owed him this.

Fenris didn't care that it was more magic, he didn't even care that he wanted to kill this woman, the only thing that mattered was Hawke. He hardly turned his head. "Then do," he said, "because if she dies, so do you."

Here she was again, that place somewhere between life and death, but this time around it felt more permanent, more concrete. Hawke could feel parts of herself start to fade, then pull themselves back, staying alive by sheer force of will.

Those last moments resonated with her. She acted on emotion alone. She saw in that instant what had to be done, the choice that had to be made.

'Fenris dies, or I do.'

She was behind Danarius, he was so preoccupied by the spell he was casting that she had had just enough time to grab him by the neck. She wrenched the magic from him with both hands, and simultaneously the life from herself. If she had just attacked him the abominations would have struck her from behind, and there was no guarantee he would have gone down. If she had continued striking the demon she was at war with the spell would have hit Fenris. No, there was no other way.

This was death. Part of her still fought it, but another part accepted it. She had been here so many times, hovering on the brink, perhaps this was finally it.

"Why now though? Why taunt me with happiness only to rip it from me? Is this really what I deserve?"

There was no measure for the time she spent there. It felt like an instant and an eternity all at once. She drifted between believing that it was over and fighting the end. Her memories became distant, nothing more than figments of a life she used to have.

Then she was dead. The second she crossed that threshold she knew it. She felt at peace, like something beyond human, but it was only temporary. The human emotions she thought she had let go of came rushing back, anger and fear at the forefront. Hawke was pulled back through pure chaos, she remembered everything at once, and then she opened her eyes.

"Hawke? Are you with us?" Isabela asked with a genuine smile.

"Yes." Hawke's answer was simple. She sat up, she was in her own bed, her own house, alive.

"You put us all through quite the scare." Aveline added, "I can only guess that you saved all our lives, too."

Hawke didn't say anything, she just scanned the room, eyes wide in disbelief. "Hawke? Are you there?" Isabela gave a half-hearted laugh with her question.

"I was dead."

"Well, just about. Varania, of all people, healed you. I'm sure it's the only reason Fenris let her live." Aveline explained.

"No, Aveline, I was really dead." Hawke let Aveline's explanation roll over her. She was glad that Varania was still alive, glad that she had healed her, but she was still in shock. She hadn't even taken into account that Fenris wasn't in the room.

Aveline and Isabela didn't know quite what to say, there really wasn't much they could say after all. "Well, we're glad you're alive again." Isabela smiled.

Hawke nodded and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, "How long was I out? What happened?"

"It's only been about two hours. Everyone is well intact, except Danarius, and even though Varania is alive, Fenris will not be having anything to do with her." Aveline confirmed.

"Where is he?" Hawke almost sounded panicked.

"He should be back any minute, he went to the Gallows. Varania said you would wake up relatively soon, but he wanted to talk to Cullen in case there was something else he could do."

"Okay." She seemed to calm down before she spoke again, "Can you get me one of those fancy potions off the dresser there?"

"Of course." Isabela answered, grabbing one and handing it to her.

"Wait, Hawke, shouldn't you rest?" Aveline questioned.

Hawke looked confused, "Why would I rest when I have this?" She held up the potion before she downed it, "Besides, I'm getting married in like an hour."

"Wait, what? You almost died!"

"Aveline, I almost die every other day. I'm not putting this off again."

"But Hawke, you've never-"

"I don't give a fuck." Hawke cut her off with a completely dry tone. Neither of them knew what to say. They couldn't remember the last time they had heard language like that come from her. Hawke chuckled, "I feel fine. That's what potions are for! Now if you'll excuse me..."

"Alright." Aveline laughed back.

"I'll see you two at the Chantry."

"Goodbye, Hawke. It's good to have you back." Isabela said as she and Aveline exited.

As soon as they were gone Hawke rushed to check if all of her 'clothing' was still in place. She found that, although a little disheveled, it was all there. She proceeded to the kitchen to wolf down some bread.

About halfway through the loaf she heard the door open and turned to see him. Fenris had a look of pure despair on his face, he looked ragged and tired, but when he saw her there, munching on her food as if nothing had happened, he lit up. There was a moment of disbelief, but it was soon replaced with relief.

He seemed frozen there, staring at her, so she spoke, "Hey! Miss me?" She gave him her best smile and still he said nothing. "Oh, come on, don't look at me like that, you know those potions make me hungry."

How very like her to shrug this off. He thought for a moment that maybe she just didn't care, but he took the time to think back on their relationship, as he had been doing for the past two hours, and realized that this was, in fact, her caring. She might not have known what it was like to believe that the love of her life was dead, but the fact that she was trying to make light of the situation (which was most certainly not her thing) showed her love for him.

He crossed to her in two long strides and held her to him. His grip was tight enough to be painful, but Hawke said nothing. When he had finally accepted that she was indeed alive he loosened his hold on her, "You are supposed to be dead, Hawke."

"Don't you remember? The Maker himself designed me to be... relatively indestructible." She mirrored Leliana's statement.

"No, Hawke, I- I talked to Cullen, he said that with what you did, no amount of healing would bring you back, not if you hadn't been taking lyrium. You should have died, Hawke." He sounded almost frantic. It was true, Hawke had decided against the general Templar lyrium regimen, especially with price and availability.

She was silent for a moment, thinking. "I was dead, Fenris. I cannot be sure what exactly gave me the strength to come back, but I knew before I acted that it was going to kill me. I-"

"Then why! Why would you have-"

"Fenris!" She barked back at him, "He would have killed you. He was this close to- It was me or you, and I chose you."

"Hawke, I-"

"Don't say a word." Hawke demanded, "What I was going to say was that I cannot be sure what saved me, but I am relatively certain that it was you."

"Hawke, I didn't even- If anything it was my fault that-"

"No, no, no, stop that." She scolded him, "That's not what I meant. I'm around you constantly, I sleep with you for gods' sakes, and the only thing that could have changed anything is lyrium. You saved me, Fenris."

He processed what she had said, "You mean..."

"Yes." She smiled at his utterly dumbstruck face and kissed him. It was short and sweet and when she backed away he still didn't seem to know what to say. Lyrium, his lyrium, had saved her. "Now go get ready, we're getting married."

"Hawke, you-"

"No, no, no, no, I already told you, come hell or high water we are getting married today."

Fenris chuckled, "Of course, dear."

"And you might want to go down one of those potions yourself. It's been a long day, and well, I'm still going to be awake for a very long time." Hawke winked at him, "You aren't going to disappoint me, are you?"

"I wouldn't dream of it."

A/N: OH MY GOSH GUIZE. WHAT IF SHE ACTUALLY DIED? I kid, I kid. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, yes, yes, there will be smut in the next chapter. I promise. Head on over to my profile and read the intro to my next story! Send me a message and tell me what you think! And as always, reviews are appreciated greatly!

Oh! And who all has Diablo 3 now? I know I do. My whole life has been leading up to that game.