A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and left all those alerts in my email! They make me so happy! Reviews are love. Thanks to Saga Svanhildr for all your beta epicness. :D I'd be lost without you. This chapter is mostly Fenris, but it's got some Raina insight. I thought that they deserved a fluffy moment.

"Blank Shell"

And as we lie beneath the stars
We realize how small we are
If they could love like you and me
Imagine what the world could be

-"If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback

Raina opened her eyes and was met with darkness. The sounds of Lake Calenhad gave the night a soothing melody. It was better than the harsh noise she remembered when she first set eyes upon the tower. Then again, that could have been attributed to the brutes that had her in their company. She ran her tongue over her lower lip and wondered why she had woken up. The last thing she remembered was saying goodnight to Fenris. Speaking of… she turned her head to see the Tevinter elf sleeping next to her. The moonlight that crept in glistened against the lyrium markings on his bare chest. She smiled at him. She reached up a hand and brought a silver wisp of hair from his eyes. Raina pulled her hand back but he caught it and laced their fingers together. "Go to sleep," he told her without opening his eyes. She snuggled against his body and closed her eyes.

That night she dreamt of someone she hadn't dreamt of in a very long time. Maker knew what it meant, but it was a nice memory and perhaps one of the last ones that she had been holding onto.

"You got me a gift? I hardly think that I've done anything to deserve that." Raina scowled at Anders. Couldn't he just take it? He looked down at the amulet and she watched as the shock quickly formed on his features. "That's a Tevinter Chantry amulet? Are you out of your mind? Do you want me to get executed? It's sacrilege to wear it in any land under the Divine. Do you want me to get hanged?" Well, he had a lot to say about it, didn't he?

"Mages are free in the Imperium. I thought you might like the symbolization, Anders. It's a gift…or I could just take it back if you don't like it," she replied. An eyebrow shot up, challenging him to what he would say next. You could imagine her surprise when she watched him smile.

"No, I like it. Maybe not on the outside of my clothes… I'm not that eager to face the hangman's noose, but I appreciate the thought." Good. "I've never really thought about what life would be like in the Tevinter Chantry."

"They never spoke of it in the Circle?"

Anders shook his head 'no.' "In the Circle, they make it sound like the Void itself. The Black Divine stalking Thedas, making it unsafe for kittens and virgins," he replied. There went that humor that she had liked so much about him. Raina couldn't help but laugh. It had been a long time since she was able to feel this way.

Raina shook her head and added, "Those kittens and virgins will just have to find a nice strong mage to protect them."

Anders laughed. "From what I hear about the Tevinters, that's the last thing they'd want," he told her, "well, the virgins anyway. I've never heard of any horrific…kitten rituals." He glanced down at the amulet again before he put it around his neck and neatly tucked it underneath his robes. "I appreciate the gift. Perhaps one day, I can return one as meaningful."

Raina opened her eyes when she felt the warm sunlight enter the room through the cracked window. Nausea hit her and the room swayed. Her hands went to her stomach as it roared in pain. It felt like hands had gripped onto her and that their nails dug into her skin as they tried to hold her in place. She didn't want to move but she knew she had to. Fenris wouldn't appreciate vomit in the bed they were staying in. Acid rose up her throat. Oh Maker, it was coming. She tried to make her way towards a waste bucket away from the bed but she only made it half way. "Not again," she groaned and threw up.

She wiped at her mouth and heard the door open to the room she shared with Fenris. The sound of hastened walking echoed through the room and she turned her head to see him kneel by her side. "Are you all right?" His touching concern made her smile. She opened her mouth to reply, but she turned her head quickly as the sickness lurched its way onto the floor again. Fenris rubbed his hand against her back in tiny circles. "Get it all out. I'll have someone clean it up."

When she was done, she rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "I don't know what is wrong with me," she told him. The stench of her vomit wasn't as bad as it could have been considering she hadn't really eaten anything but still… the embarrassment of the action had rendered her to feeling less than pathetic.

"Perhaps the ale had a reaction to any lingering remnants of the poison," Fenris offered. She didn't think it was that. She placed her hands over her stomach. Raina closed her eyes and tried to practice her breathing. In and out, in and out, she told herself. She attempted to heal her body to make herself feel better and that was when she felt it… Her eyes widened and the world seemed to slow around her. Her mouth gaped open slightly and her breath caught in her throat. She couldn't believe it. "What? What's wrong?"

"Fenris…" She breathed out his name. She couldn't complete her thoughts. How could she when she had felt another life inside of her? How… The question was lost on her when disbelief took its hold. Worry had taken over the elf's lovely features. She wanted to comfort him but her body wouldn't function properly. The idea of a child had taken a vice grip hold on every fiber of her being. "That…The…" Where were her words? "The healer was wrong."

His eyebrows furrowed together. "You aren't making any sense," he told her. She would readily agree. "Please explain." His voice had started to feel strained. She gave him a small smile.

"I'm still…" Maker, why couldn't she spit it out? "Going to have your child," she finished. There it was. Would he run? Would he laugh at her? Would he believe her?

"I, uh…see." Was that all he could say? He glanced away from her. "Are you sure? Is it possible that Kerras…"

"No!" she grabbed his face and made him look her in the eyes. "No, Fenris. It's too… developed to be from… that." She silently cursed him for even thinking it. And for reminding her. "But if you don't believe me, we can always ask for a second opinion."

Fenris had done his best not to pace around the room. He stood perfectly still in the corner and watched as the mages conversed. It was not easy bringing the mage from the Circle without alarming Carver, but at least the man had Isabela to keep him busy. Maker, the man didn't waste time after leaving his vows, but who was he to judge?

"She's correct." Fenris's ears perked when the mage spoke. He had kept silent for the most part as the two before him had talked. He hadn't expected this sudden change. When Raina said that she had…been pregnant, but lost the baby, he had dismissed any feelings that had come. There had been no use in getting attached to the idea of what was never to be, but now… it seemed that a miracle had happened. He didn't know what to make of it. Fenris had never been a believer in miracles, but what else could he call this? He watched as Raina looked at him. Her bright blue eyes begged for any word from him.

"How?" That had been the only question that had come to mind.

The healer glanced his way. "It's a miracle." He had wished that they would stop using that word. "I've left some potions," the mage said, "They're just to make sure the child will be ok." The child. His child. The women in the room waited for a response, but none came. The healer nodded. "Alright then," she continued as she made her way to leave. She stopped next to Fenris and whispered, "The Maker's greatest gift is a child. Do not squander it." His eyebrows furrowed together. Who was she to tell him such a thing? A low growl escaped him as he almost pushed her out of the room.

"Well," he heard Raina speak up when the door closed, "You could have handled that better."

He turned to look at her. What did she want from him? "How do you expect me to react? One minute you are, the next you aren't, and now you are again," his voice had sounded more frustrated than he had intended it to be. The feelings that over took him were like nothing that he had ever experienced. The urge to protect her grew. The urge to protect their child, love, adoration, confusion, fear, anxiety, and countless of other feelings had rolled into one giant wave that washed over him. "How did this happen?"

Raina pulled a pillow against her body and wrapped her arms around it. "You heard what the healer said," she whispered.

Fenris felt his shoulders slump slightly. "I don't believe in miracles," he replied.

"Then what do you call what's happening between us again?"

His feet brought him towards the bed and he sat next to her. "I don't know," he answered, "but I know that I'm not going to leave you again. Ever." He gave her a small smile. "I meant it when I said if there was a future, I'd gladly share it with you." He placed a hand over her stomach. "It was just…" He felt the lump form in his throat and he made a face. "I fear that when I wake up tomorrow, it will be gone again. I've never felt this way about someone that I haven't even met. I've never thought that I could ever become…" The word was lost on him.

"A father?"

"Yes. That."

"Would you like to know if it is a boy or girl?" It still amazed him sometimes what mages could do. He wanted to know, but he was afraid to ask. Knowing such a thing would make him associate it with being…alive. Being alive gave you attachment, and being afraid of that attachment was what made him run in the first place. He didn't know the value of family. Was it the kind of thing that could be learned? Would it come automatically? Maker, Fenris was getting tired of his inner questions. It had started to make him feel like a coward again, and that was the last thing he wanted. "Fenris?" Oh, yes. Did he want to know the sex? Part of him screamed yes but the other part…the fear was too much.

As a slave, he had nothing to lose. Nothing could have been taken away from him. He pushed away from her for several reasons, and he could go on about them, but he wouldn't. It wasn't the time to dwell on that, and he wasn't a slave anymore. "I…" What? What did he want to say?

"Oh," was what came out of her mouth next.

"What?" Did she have a better insight on how he was feeling? If so, he would damn well like to know.

Raina shook her head and looked away from him. "You don't want to know because you don't want to get attached. Why would you want to get attached to a child when you don't even love the mother? How silly of me to think differently." Love. He had thought that it was a fool's notion for a very long time.

"Please explain to me what you're babbling about," Fenris said. Did she not think that he loved her? Even after everything that he had done? Well, considering it again, the bad tended to outweigh the good more often than not, and he had never really told her that he had loved her. Damn. He was an even bigger fool than he thought. She opened her mouth to abide to his request, but he brought up a hand and silenced her with a gentle finger placed against her lips. He watched her eyes narrow at him when he moved it away from her mouth. "You don't think I love you?" He asked.

"What do you expect me to think?" She asked him carefully. "Why should I think any differently?"

"I did not believe in it for a very long time," he could admit that, "and I had not thought of sharing myself with someone like that until you. We've made our mistakes, but I don't want you to think that I don't. Because I do." The surprise that had taken over her lovely features had been worth it. He leaned in and his lips melted against hers. His fingers brushed along her jaw line before they found a home in her dark locks. "I love you." The words came out easier than he had originally expected. "And I love our child." Doubts were gone and confidence had come back to him. He didn't know what kind of father he'd be, but he would try.

She threw her arms around him and held him close. Raina buried her face into the nape of his neck. "You have no idea how long I have waited to hear those words," she whispered into his skin. She's broken, Fenris, and I believe that you can bring her back. Isabela's words rang in his ears. He had managed to do just that. "And it is a she."

Fenris was aware that when an elf and a human had a child together, it was born human. It wasn't going to be an easy life, but when had it ever been easy for them? He couldn't help but smile at the woman before him as he pulled back from their embrace. The child was going to be born in a chaos-filled world, but he would be there the entire time. "I'm actually glad," he admitted, which caused a light laugh to escape her.

She lifted up a hand and touched his face. Her fingers were careful around his lyrium markings. "And that makes everything worthwhile," she replied.

"So when do we tell the others?" The question had to be asked sooner than later. Raina bit her lower lip as she thought about it.

"I can't decide whether or not telling Carver first is the wiser choice." That he had to agree with.

"Allow me to break the news?" He offered. Raina gave him an amused look.

"Be my guest."

"Andraste's tits, you stupid ass! What are you doing?" Raina's voice rose over the loud noise of the crowd that had gathered to view the spectacle. The rather large fist of the younger Hawke connected with Fenris's jaw. The elf brought a hand to the throbbing area and let out a small groan. Okay, he knew that he probably deserved that in more ways than one. Carver brought his arm back, reeling for another hit. "Carver!" He heard Raina yell again. Isabela caught the boy's arm with her hands and tried to stop him.

"You prig!" He shouted at him. Fenris felt that he might have deserved that as well. "What makes you think that you can do this to her?"

"It's not like it was planned!" He shot back defensively. He crouched slightly toward the ground, ready for a flying fist that managed to escape the grasp of Isabela and her Raiders.

"The healer said she lost it! What did you do?"

Fenris narrowed his eyes at him. "I did nothing," he responded, "whatever has happened has been the Maker's will. Surely a Templar would understand that." He moved out of the way of the spit flying in his direction.

"Oh, don't give me that shit," Carver sneered at him, "What are you going to do about it, huh? Are you just going to leave her again?" Fenris was amused that the young man could love his sister at one point and want to defend her, and then at another he would want to tear her throat out himself. He would never understand it. Carver managed to break free from his human shackles and lunged for Fenris. The elf prepared for the attack but suddenly found that both of them had been frozen in time. Someone had brought up the very earth from the ground to make sure that they were literally rooted down to prohibit any movement. Both men slowly turned their heads to look at a very pissed Raina Hawke.

The woman leered at them and her arms crossed in front of her body. "What do you two think you are doing?" She asked in a monotone voice. Her jaw set in a ridiculously familiar scowl. He had only seen that look twice since he had known her, and it usually meant that someone was in trouble.

"What do you think I'm doing, sister?" Carver asked. "Defending your honor!"

"He started it," Fenris added.

"Oh, how grown up," Raina scoffed, "Now you two will listen to me, and listen closely before I make the two of you stay here for the rest of your lives… You will get along or neither of you will see this baby, understood?"

"Yes," both men replied in unison. Fenris couldn't believe it but he wanted to smile.

He watched as Raina turned to Isabela. "I say we let them stay here and think about what they've done. I'll even buy you a round. And since I am unable to have one, you're just going to have to enjoy it for the both of us."

Isabela smiled, "That's my girl."