This started as a question posted on Twitter: "If you were stranded on a desert island with two DA characters, who would be the best and the worst to be stuck with?" The characters of Anders and Fenris are from Dragon Age 2 but they will be different for this story. Mage Hawke has abilities that are not from the game as you've noticed so far. I'm trying to see how this goes and decided to post a few chapters anyways. My partner in crime for this is KrisJFern. All comments are welcome.

As always: thanks to Kris for being a great sounding board in all things Stranded.

A/N: I am also working in collaboration with another author here called Signs of Falling Grace.

Fabulous fan art I'd like to mention for this chapter is called Out of the Shadow by Wbrooks from Deviant Art.

Stranded

Family Matters

"Don't touch me!" Carver yelled. "Do you really think I don't know what happens when you touch me?"

"Carver, calm down," I said as I tried to reach out to him.

"I will not be calm!" he yelled as he lashed out at me.

"You'll wake mother!" I pleaded as I stepped back from him when he placed him hand on the hilt of his sword. "Please, just come inside and we'll talk about what's bothering you tomorrow once you've sobered up…"

"No, I will not follow you! We will discuss this here and now!" he yelled.

I slowly lowered my hand as he shook with rage. The smell of alcohol was so strong that it had started to make my eyes water but I dared not move away from him.

"Carver, I…"

"No! Not this time! I will not listen to your lies!" he yelled as he walked away from me.

"Bethany…"

"DO NOT DARE SPEAK HER NAME!" he turned and yelled. "You have lost the right to say anything about her to me!"

"She was my sister too, Carver!" I responded, still trying to be quiet for mother's sake, although by now he'd probably woken up half of Lowtown. "And I was the only one who understood what it was like for her, knowing you were watching her all the time. She was scared you thought she was going to become a monster! Her own brother! I had to explain to her that all you wanted to do was protect her! It's what we both wanted…"

"You let her die!" he yelled and I jumped at his accusation but the words hardened my resolve to set him straight once and for all. All I could think of was the way Mother looked at me for letting it happen, and I knew at that moment Carver wished it were me there instead of Bethany.

"No, Carver," I said as I walked closer to him. "You did. You promised to protect her always and what did you do?" I demanded as I looked up at him. "You ran off to join the bloody King's Army!"

"I wasn't needed in Lothering!" he yelled, crossing his arms across his chest stubbornly.

"Of course you were needed! Despite what you might think, we all needed you!" I reached up and rubbed my forehead. "Bethany was beside herself, worried that you would be killed by darkspawn and Mother finally stopped grieving long enough to see what had become of us!"

"You shouldn't have followed me!"

"Oh, like I had any choice in the matter!" I yelled back. "Mother demanded that I bring you back!"

"You were supposed to go back and tell her I could handle myself!"

"By then it was too late, dear brother! The recruiter just assumed that I was there to join as well and if I left, I would have been considered a deserter!" I cried out as I threw my arms out. "Did you really think I had any real desire to fight?"

"It's never stopped you before, dear sister," he spat back at me.

"It was for you! It was always for you!" I yelled and pushed him back. "Because…you wanted to be able to protect Bethany," I said softly.

"It was all for nothing then," he said as he looked away sadly.

"There was nothing you could have done, Carver," I said honestly as I looked away from him, recalling the day we tried to escape. "We were surrounded by darkspawn and had become separated from each other. All I can remember was trying not to get my head cut off…and being so proud of Bethany for holding her own."

"She was the only one protecting mother…"

"Mother would have died if not for Bethany," I said as I slowly reached out to him.

"She shouldn't have tried to…"

"She did it because she was brave," I told him as I touched his face. "And because she wanted to show her brother she didn't need saving."

I watched as Carver fell to his knees in front of me and I wrapped my arms around him. I felt him shaking, but this time it was not with rage.

"I can't stay here anymore, Inara," he said, his voice muffled. "When I look at you, all I see is her…"

I moved back from him and placed my hand under his chin, lifting his head so he would look up at me.

"I also see her when I look at you, Carver," I said as I wiped the tears from his face. "And I see father as well."

"Inara, I'm…"

"We'll think of something," I said as I hugged him once more. "I know you're unhappy here. Maybe now you can be free to become who you want to be."

"What will you tell mother?" he asked as he moved away from me and slowly rose to his feet.

"Nothing I say will make her believe that I didn't drive you away," I said as I smoothed out his shirt. "I see great things for you here, Carver. Once we're back from the Deep Roads we should be able have enough to finally make something of our family name."

"When do we leave?" he asked as he placed his hand on mine.

"You're not coming with me," I said suddenly and he clutched my hand tight. "It was the agreement I made with Varric. You're not to come with us or I back out."

"The Void, I'm not!"

"Anders has offered not only his maps but his services as well," I said as I pried my hand out of his.

"You would go with others instead of your own blood!" he said as he clenched his jaw.

"Anders is a healer, which I'm not, and from what I've heard around Lowtown, a damn good one," I reminded him as I flexed my fingers. "Please, Carver. I don't want to lose you to darkspawn as well."

"But you'll need..."

"Fenris seems more than capable with that sword he carries," I said as I placed my fingers gently against his jaw. "I'm asking you to see this as a way to go for what your heart desires."

He looked up at me suddenly as what I said sunk in. "I'm certain Fenris will keep you safe. I don't know how he manages to handle that sword as well as he does but I trust in his skills."

"If I didn't know better, I would say you're in awe of him, little brother," I teased as I smiled up at him.

"I'm just saying that from what I've seen of his skills, I'd want him at my side fighting darkspawn," he said and looked down at me seriously. "My only concern is his hatred of mages."

"He's been very vocal of that," I acknowledged. "I'm hoping that he trusts me enough to have my back."

"Be honest with him, Inara," he said as he looked away from me. "He trusts you…"

"Inara!" a voice cut through the dream I was having. "Maker, please don't let me be too late!"

Go away, Carver, I thought. Let me sleep!

I could feel someone shake me as my eyes struggled to open. I felt as my head was lifted, cradled in the crook of someone's arm as they checked me closely. I pushed away the hand weakly and someone held onto it as I squirmed. I looked up at in a haze, not fully trusting what I was seeing.

"She needs lyrium!" Anders said from nearby.

"There should be some in my pack!" Carver's voice called out.

"Are you sure?" asked as concerned voice. "It's the last vial…"

Was that Isabela?

"I'll make do," Carver gruffly cut her off.

I heard the distinct pop as the cork was pulled from the vial before I felt the cool glass against my lips. I felt as the liquid was slowly poured into my mouth and I swallowed instinctively, sputtering on the chalky texture.

"Drink it, Inara," Carver said softly. "Please, just a little more."

"Is that really you, Carver?" I finally managed after swallowing a bit more. I reached up and touched his face so as to convince myself he was really here.

"Blessed Maker! I thought I'd never find you," he said softly as he handed the open vial back. I watched as Isabela passed it to Merrill, who was checking on Anders.

"I knew you'd find us," I said hoarsely as sat up slowly. Carver wrapped his arms around me and held me tight.

"I gotta say, junior, I was starting to think you were grasping at straws when you kept insisting that you knew we were going to find your sister," I heard Varric say from close by and I laughed. "Pay up, Rivaini."

"Can't you at least wait until we're back in Kirkwall before demanding payment, Varric?" Isabela said as she turned to him. "Greedy dwarf!"

"Not saying you're not good for it but when it comes to you, it's just good business sense," he said as he placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry," Isabela purred as she leaned closer to me. "I'm sure we can come to sort of arraignment."

"My sister's not paying your tab either," Carver said as I wrapped my arms around her.
I hugged her as tight as I could until she protested. "Hawke, you're choking me!"

"But where's Fenris?" Merrill asked as I let go of Isabela and looked away.

"He's somewhere on the other side of the island," Anders responded softly.

"I'll have my men look for him," Isabela said as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Help me get her back to the ship," Carver said as he got back to his feet, taking my hand in his and helping me up carefully. I was barely on my feet when he scooped me up into his arms and turned to the mouth of the cave. "Maker, Inara, you've gained weight!" he said as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Be careful with her, Carver," Anders said, leaning against Varric for support.

"Isabela," I called out as he was leaving the cave. "Make sure they find him."

"Don't worry, Hawke," she said. "I will."

Carver carried me away from the cave we had made our home for several months. I couldn't help but take one last look at it as Anders and Varric slowly made their way behind us. Merrill and Isabela followed, bringing Anders staff and Fenris' sword along with them.

I leaned my head against Carver's chest and let my eyes drift closed once more as I listened to his strong heart beating. I wasn't sure how long it would take Isabela to find Fenris but I hoped that when they did, he would want to return with us to Kirkwall.

Because there was something very important I still needed to tell him.


Thanks to everyone who has been following this crazy story. If you have any questions about this, please be sure to have your PM's enabled so I can answer back!

I hope you've liked this crazy story of mine and continue to find me entertaining for the stories still to come.