It wasn't really that late in the day when the four of them dragged themselves through the door of the Hanged Man, but it sure felt like it to Anders. Even Isabela had lost a bit of her swagger. They had cleared out another group of the Flint Company mercenaries and found the Viscount's son, only to discover that he hadn't in fact been kidnapped, but had gone off with one of the Quanari of his own volition. The boy was curious and it was obvious that he was trying to find his own path in life. Hawke left it for his father to deal with him, collected the reward and left the Viscount's keep with a muttered, "Crazy nobles. And to think my mother wants us to be part of all of that mess again." She had then swiped a hand across her forehead and looked at the rest of them with a raised eyebrow. "I need a drink. Anyone else?"

Anders dropped his body into a chair and bent over the table, his head resting on his folded arms. He sensed someone sit down next to him and he looked up to see Hollie. She gave him a small smile and pushed a tankard and a small leather purse toward him. "There's your take from today. Consider the drink a bonus."

He gave her a grateful smile and lifted the tankard to his lips. It was slightly cool and wet and that was all that mattered at the moment. As he set the drink down, he picked up the leather bag of coins and hefted it in his hand for a moment, then opened it to peer inside. There were a few gold pieces, some silver and copper, and the ring that Isabela had found. As he pulled the drawstrings to close it, he glanced at Hollie and said, "You know, you'd be able to finance your expedition a lot faster if you didn't insist on paying us so much."

Hollie finished her drink before she answered him. "Yes, I know. But I also know that keeping good people around you is worth the cost I'm paying. Besides," she leaned closer to him to bump his shoulder, "I know you will spend a lot of yours on supplies for your clinic, plus you have someone else to provide for."

Anders took another sip of his drink and raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment. "For now. Bailey has started making perfume oils and is gathering supplies to make some kind of beauty items. Scented soaps, I think. She's hopeful that she can work out a deal with a few of the merchants in Hightown."

Hollie sighed wistfully and said, "Oh, I remember scented soap. I will gladly buy some from her when she gets them made."

"I'll tell her you said so."

Varric chose that moment to plop himself down in a chair across from them, and Anders was slightly surprised to see Carver take the last seat. He gave the boy a nod; Carver hadn't really been very friendly to any of them. Carver nodded in response and looked around. "Where's your friend, Anders? The blonde girl."

Varric and Anders shared a look between them, both of them with the same curiosity on their face. Anders turned his head back to Carver and said, "She's probably at the clinic. Why do you ask?"

Carver shifted in his chair and said, "No particular reason. I just thought she might be here with you."

"Honestly, I haven't seen her since very early this morning. Why don't you go get her and bring her back here? I'm sure she needs to eat," Anders said, a note of amusement underlying his words.

Carver narrowed his eyes at him. "Trying to get rid of me?"

Hollie rolled her eyes and kicked him under the table. "He's trying to tell you to go get her and escort her safely back here, because he doesn't want her in the clinic alone. And she is probably worried since she hasn't seen any of us for most of the day."

Carver glared at her and pushed back from the table. "Fine. And I'm not an idiot boy, you know."

As he started toward the door, Anders called out, "And tell her to bring the kit. She'll know what I'm talking about."

Carver looked back over his shoulder and gave him a nod of acknowledgment and pushed out the front door of the tavern. Varric watched him leave and turned back to Anders and Hawke with a sly smile. "I think someone has a small crush."

Hollie looked from Varric to Anders and back to Varric. "Oh, Maker," she said, shaking her head with a sigh. Anders tried to hide his grin behind the rim of his mug. Oh, Maker was indeed the right sentiment.

Varric leaned over the table and said, "Now, Blondie…about those arrows you wanted me to check for you…"

Bailey looked up from the book she was reading at the sound of a knock on the clinic door. She waited a moment and there was another knock, followed by the sound of a man calling her name through the door. "Bailey? Are you in there?"

She set the history book aside and grabbed her knife before going to the door. She didn't open it right away, but said through the door, "Who are you?"

"It's Carver…Hollie's brother. Anders asked me to come get you and escort you to the tavern."

Bailey remembered the young and antsy man that had been with Hollie those first few times she was in the clinic, but she wasn't sure the man on the other side of the door really was him. "Prove it," she said.

Carver sighed loudly and rolled his eyes. "The night we met, Anders was treating a young boy. When Hollie asked him for his maps, he asked us to help his friend Karl. We did and Anders displayed some…interesting circumstances."

Bailey relaxed and opened the door to let him in. As he walked past her, she said "Sorry, but I had to be certain. The thugs around here are getting creative."

He stopped and turned to look at her; she had her hair halfway pinned up and a simple cream colored tunic on. She looked relaxed…aside from that rather long dagger in her hand. He gestured at it and said, "You are at least prepared."

She looked down at her hand and laughed lightly. "Oh, well. A girl has to protect herself, you know." She walked back to the desk where she had been reading and placed the dagger into a drawer, then turned back to look at Carver, her hips resting against the desk and her arms folded over her chest. "Now, what was that about Anders having you come get me?"

Carver swallowed heavily at the sight of her bare legs beneath the hem of the tunic. It took him a moment to realize she had asked him a question, and when he looked up at her face, she had a small smile of amusement on her lips. He mentally shook his head and forced himself to stop thinking of her legs and lips. "He's at the Hanged Man. He came in with Hollie, Isabela, and Fenris. He asked me to come and get you, and to tell you to bring the kit. He said you would know what he was talking about."

Bailey immediately straightened up and said, "Did someone get hurt?"

Carver shrugged and said, "I saw Fenris favoring his left shoulder, but I don't think anyone is seriously injured."

He turned to watch her as she went to the wooden cabinet near the front door and bent to open a bottom door. She pulled out what looked like a square leather box with a single handle on the top of it. She pushed it into his arms and said absently, "Give me a moment to pull on some trousers and boots."

She pushed through some curtains and emerged only a few moments later, tightening a belt around her waist. She opened the desk drawer again and shoved that dagger into a sheath on her belt, then walked back over to him and took the box from his arms. "Lead on, McDuff," she said, gesturing towards the door. He gave her a confused look and she shook her head. "Never mind. Let's just go."

As they made their way through Darktown, Carver looked around and couldn't help wondering out loud to Bailey, "Why do you choose to live down here, amongst the danger and slavers and chokedamp?"

She shrugged and said, "Because the people here need us."

He looked over at her and said, "You could be working in a clinic in Lowtown or even Hightown."

Bailey glanced at him and said, "I could, sure. But Anders couldn't, not if he's going to stay out of the Templar's grasp. And believe me when I say I will not let that happen to him."

Carver contemplated her for a moment. "You mean that, don't you?"

She stopped and looked up at him. "With every fiber in my body. Anders is my best friend, Carver, and I stay with him because it gives me a chance to use my knowledge and skills to help people that need it and lets me watch out for him. He's not really a bad guy, despite that whole…" she stopped and looked around to make sure no one was nearby to overhear her before she continued, "you know, Justice thing."

She started walking again, and he hurried to catch up with her. "I hope you don't mind if I continue to withhold my judgment about him until I know him better."

"I would rather you get to know him before you pass judgment, so no, I don't mind."

They finally reached the entrance to Lowtown and made their way to the tavern. He pushed open the door for her, and Bailey walked into the room, only to be greeted by a very squeezy hug from Merrill. "Oh, good, you're here! Now everyone is here, together!"

Bailey gave the elven girl a squeeze in return. Merrill was the type that you just couldn't help but like. Her innocence and naivety might get her into trouble one day, but for now, it was truly refreshing. She had finally met Merrill the prior week, when she had come to the clinic with Hollie, who was – of course – looking for Anders. "Hello, Merrill. How are you tonight?"

"I'm good, thank you for asking. Oh, what's in the box?"

"Just some medical supplies. Anders asked me to bring it." Bailey looked around the ground floor, but didn't see anyone. "You said everyone is here? Where?"

"Oh, we're all upstairs in Varric's suite. Come on!" Merrill grabbed her arm and Bailey looked over her shoulder at Carver as she was pulled along and up the stairs. "Bailey's here, everyone!"

Bailey gave everyone a wave and spotted Anders sitting near the end of the table. She walked over to him and set the kit down near him. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern in her voice. He looked exhausted and paler than normal.

"Just a bit of a lyrium deficiency. One of the reasons I asked you to bring the kit. Plus, Fenris took a graze from an arrow today and wouldn't let me heal it," he said quietly. "Would you mind…?"

She nodded as she opened the kit and pulled out two bottles of lyrium potion and handed them to him. "Sure, if he doesn't mind."

Anders swallowed down both bottles and dropped the empties back into her hand. He nodded his head to the opposite end of the table and Bailey turned to see Fenris in conversation with Varric. She could see the small tear on the shoulder of his leather armor and moved toward him. Varric looked up at her and Fenris turned to gaze up at her as well. "Hello, Bailey," he said, his voice low and rough.

"Hi, Fenris. Anders said you got hit by an arrow. Do you mind if I have a look?"

Fenris glanced down the table at Anders and growled, "It is nothing. Merely a scratch. It will heal."

She put her hands on her hips and said, "Then it won't cost you anything to let me check it, now will it?"

Fenris narrowed his moss green eyes at her and she couldn't help but admire how his dark eyebrows contrasted so becomingly with his bright white hair. He was a very handsome elf, but his attitude irked her. "Alright, if it will grant me some peace," he agreed.

Varric said, "You can use my bedroom for a bit more privacy, if you need it."

"Thank you, Varric."

As she started to walk in that direction, Varric said, "But there is a small price for it." Bailey stopped and turned to look at him, her eyebrow raised in question. Varric smiled and said, "Blondie let it slip that you sing."

Bailey stared at Anders and he shrugged. "It did just slip out, I promise."

She turned back to Varric and he grinned. "So when you are done with Broody, you have to sing us a song."

Her mouth wanted to fall open in disbelief, but she managed to stop it. She then threw her arms up and said, "Fine. Healing first, fun after." She grabbed the medical kit and turned away from the table. As she walked into the bedroom where Fenris was waiting for her, she heard Isabela say, "Now that is a fine idea. I'll drink to that."

Hollie replied with, "Isabela, you'll drink to anything."

"And I will drink to that, as well." There was a burst of laughter from the table, which increased as Merrill said, "I don't get it. Drink to what, exactly?"

Bailey shook her head and turned to Fenris. He had removed his upper body armor and sat on the edge of Varric's bed, tense and sullen. He looked up at her and said, "Well?"

She stepped past him and placed the kit on the bed, opened it and pulled out a bottle of clear liquid and a pad of cloth. She poured some of the liquid onto the cloth and then slapped it onto the cut on his shoulder. To his credit, Fenris didn't even flinch. She cleaned the wound and tossed the damp pad into her kit and examined the wound. It wasn't very deep, luckily, so she trickled a bit of elfroot potion into it and began to bandage it. As she worked, she quietly said, "Why wouldn't you let Anders heal this for you? It would have taken nothing for him to do it."

Fenris grunted and said nothing. She finished tying off the bandage and began putting the things away into her kit. "God, but you are such a stubborn ass."

Fenris gazed at her and finally said, "It is my choice, and I do not wish to be touched by magic. It corrupts and I don't want any part of it again."

She turned her head to look at him as he slid back into his armor, and then put her hands on her hips. "Look, Fenris. I don't know everything about what happened to you in your past, but I do know one thing. You can't live there, because if you try, it will do nothing but eat you away inside."

"What would you know of it?"

"More than you think," she snapped. "Don't presume to know all about me just because of my association with Anders. And don't make assumptions about him based on the little amount of time you have known him. He's a good man, and he has good intentions. Sure, how he goes about it may not be to your liking, but you can at least agree to disagree with him about certain subjects. Get over yourself. Stop being such a dumbass and let others help you. Otherwise, you may find that when you need it the most, there will be no one there to offer it or to ask."

She closed the lid of the box with a shove and walked out of the room, trying hard to push her anger and frustration down. 'Lord, please help the fools. I know I'm only one person, but give me the strength I need to do whatever it is you sent me here to do,' she implored silently. She set the kit down on the floor near the door, took a deep breath and turned back to face everyone with a smile. "Okay, if I'm gonna sing, I need a drink first," she said, brightly. Isabela handed her a tankard and she took a long drink from it. "Alright, how about something happy? This is an old drinking song where I'm from, and I think you might like it."

She took a deep breath and launched into the first verse of Old Dun Cow.

"Some friends and I in a public house
Was playing a game of chance one night
When into the pub a fireman ran
His face all a chalky white.
"What's up", says Brown, "Have you seen a ghost,
Or have you seen your Aunt Mariah?"
"Me Aunt Mariah be buggered!" says he,
"The bleedin' pub's on fire!"

She continued on through all of the choruses and verses, everyone laughing and shouting out in response where they were supposed to (after she had told them, of course). It was a nice time, and she really enjoyed it. As she was sitting down, drinking another tankard, Fenris approached her and quietly said, "I am sorry. I didn't mean to upset you earlier. It is…" he paused, searching for the right word, "difficult for me to accept help, much less any magical help. Perhaps one day, I will share my story and it will be easier to understand me."

He stood to take his leave and she gazed after him. He was strange, and she could sense that his story was indeed a painful one. Maybe one day, he would let someone close enough that he could finally let go of the pain. Bailey shook her head and took another drink. When she lowered the tankard, Carver had taken the seat next to her. She started, and said, "Oh, Carver. You startled me."

He cocked his head at her and finally said, "You have a strange accent."

She raised one eyebrow at him and said, "Maybe to you. You sound strange to me."

Carver winced a little and said, "No, I didn't mean strange in a bad way. It's just…different to anything I've ever heard before."

Bailey sighed and said, "So I've heard. It's hard for me to be the only one around here that sounds like this. I miss hearing it."

"Where are you from?"

"A small village in the Anderfels. It's not even on any map," she added quickly.

He nodded and then said, "Anders is from there. Did you know him before?"

She gave him a smile and asked, "Did you know everyone in Ferelden?"

"Well, of course n…oh. Ah, yes, I guess that was a silly question." He raised a hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "So, how did you meet him? If you don't mind me asking."

Bailey leaned back in her chair and told him the same story she had told Varric. Carver listened intently and then said, "How long ago was that? The Blight ended almost a year ago."

Bailey thought for a moment, and said, "It was about 5, almost 6 months ago."

He regarded her for a moment and then quietly stated, "And you are still with him. You haven't gone home yet. Why? I know what you told me earlier, but I can't help feeling like there is more to it. Are you…" he paused for a second. "Lovers? Is that why you haven't left?"

She blinked at him, her mouth open in a small 'o'. "What is it with everyone thinking that he and I are doing that? There is far too much preoccupation with everyone else's love life, or lack thereof. No, Carver, I am not sleeping with him or doing anything else with him. The reason I haven't gone home yet is because it may require help from particular people, and with Anders' situation, it's not exactly prudent to go waltzing up into the Gallows. And believe me, my situation isn't much better than his."

Carver snorted. "I've witnessed his situation. No one's could be more screwed up than that."

Bailey put her tankard down on the table, a bit more forcefully than she intended. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean he's an…an abomination. He merged with a spirit. That is not natural. Normal people…"

"Oh, don't even go there. Don't talk to me about normal people. Why do you feel like that, Carver? Wasn't your father a mage? And your sister as well? Did you think of them as not normal?"

His eyes glittered. "I remember having to move around a lot so the Templars didn't find us. I remember not making friends, because I would only have to leave them behind."

"So, now you are going to paint every mage you see with the same brush and blame them because your father only wanted to keep his family together and keep them safe? Grow up, Carver. I'll tell you like I had to tell Fenris earlier. Stop living in the past. There is nothing you can do to change it, so focus on what you can make of your future."

She pushed away from the table and went to find Anders, grabbing the medical kit as she passed it. He was talking to Hollie downstairs, and they became quiet as she approached the table. "Anders, I'm heading back to the clinic. It's been a long day and I'm tired."

He started to stand and said, "Okay, let me tell the others good night and we'll go."

She raised a hand with a glance at Hollie. "I'm a big girl, I can walk myself."

Hollie said, "It's really not safe alone, especially for an unarmed female. Anders, we'll finish this another time."

He nodded and said, "Yes, we will. Good night, Hollie." He stood and went up the stairs to bid everyone a good night, then came back down to collect Bailey, who was standing near the front door. He could hear her muttering under her breath as he approached her; something about nosy people and her love life. "Um, ready, Bailey?"

She turned to look at him and said, "More than. Let's go."

She was quiet on the walk back to Darktown, and Anders was almost afraid to ask her what was wrong. He finally couldn't handle it anymore and said, "What's wrong?"

Bailey hesitated for a moment before answering him. "Just feeling a bit frustrated with certain people, that's all."

He thought about that for a second or two, then said, "I'm sorry?"

Bailey turned to look up at him. He looked contrite and confused at the same time, as if he thought he might have done something but he wasn't sure exactly what. She chuckled quietly and said, "Not you. Others. Stubborn asses and nosy boys…both of them so caught up in the 'pain of their past' and assumptions and it just makes me want to…..ooooooh!" she finished with a huff of air and her hands in front of her body, fingers curled as if around someone's neck.

He contemplated that for a second and then it hit him. "Ooooh. Fenris and Carver."

"Yeah, them. I wanted to knock both of their heads tonight. Carver asked me if you and I were lovers and if that was why I hadn't left you to go home yet. What is it with everyone being so interested in other people's sex lives?"

Anders felt his ears heat up and thanked the Maker it was dark enough that she couldn't see. "I, um…don't know. Human nature, I suppose? Everyone wants to know if what someone else has is better than what they themselves have."

She thought on that for a moment and said, "I guess you are right. My brain is too tired to think more on it."

Anders reached out and took her hand as a friend would. "Don't worry about it, dear lady. You and I know the truth of us, and that is what matters." He squeezed her hand and felt her squeeze back. They continued in silence as they headed back to their home. For a moment, Anders wished it really was as simple as he had stated to her. It boiled down to greed, really. Everyone wanted what someone else had, and he was honest enough with himself to admit that he felt it, too.

Author's Note: I just want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, and marked this story as one of their favorites. It means so much to me, you have no idea. There is still plenty more story to come!