Cullen's head felt like it had been hit with a hammer. He groaned as he tried to open his eyes. His head was killing him, and he rubbed his temples and tried to sit up. He felt the cool ground under his hands when he managed to push himself up into a sitting position. He squinted and slowly recognized his surroundings. He'd been here before... but never on the inside of a cell.

The jail at the bottom of Skyhold.

He tried to remember what had happened but it was all fuzzy. It wasn't until he saw Leliana approach the door to his cell that it all came rushing back to him.

Oh Maker, Trev.

He remembered her face, remembered the swelling and the blood and the cuts.

Turner.

He scrambled forwards, still on his knees when he grabbed the bars of the celldoor and shook them.

"Let me out of here, now," he growled.

Leliana stood before him, on the other side of the bars.

"No. Trev's orders. Until you've calmed down, you're not going anywhere. I'm sorry, Cullen, truly, but if you can't control yourself, we have no choice. Or do you want to get her sister killed?"

Cullen sank down to the ground again.

"No, Andraste preserve us... but can you blame me? Can't you understand what it... what it feels like for me to see her like that?" His hand was clamped over his heart. "It destroys me. I'm supposed to protect her. Or she's supposed to be able to protect herself when I can't. But now, neither of us can... it destroys me."

Leliana looked at him, pity welling up in her eyes.

"I do understand. That's why you're in here. I understand that you have no control over your emotions right now. I know you swore to do as she said, but I understand that you broke when you saw her like that. She understands too."

"Please, just... just let me out. I can't allow him to hurt her anymore." He was begging now.

"No. It's for your own good in the end. Do you really think she'd ever forgive you if you caused the death of her sister, just because you couldn't control yourself? She might try, but deep down she'd never be able to forgive you. She knows that and she's willing to do anything to stop that from happening. Even locking you up in here. Do you think it's easy for her to see you like this? To see you hurt? Thrown in a cell? The physical abuse from Turner she can endure. She's the most resilient human being I've ever met, nothing can break her." Leliana crouched down and looked him in the eyes. "Nothing – except for you."

Her words stung, but Cullen knew she was right. He couldn't think of anything to say.

"Seeing you hurting over her is more than she can bear. She understands how you feel, what it would be like for her if the roles were reversed. She is more desperate than ever to sort this whole mess out."

Leliana stood up again.

"I'm getting ready to leave for Ostwick tomorrow morning. It's time I deal with this myself. So far I've wanted to stay here to keep an eye on things, on the Inquisitor. But it's painfully obvious now that none of us can help her here. If you're smart, you will calm yourself down, regain control of your emotions. She will probably come here tonight to see you. But her mind is made up, she won't let you out. Try to show her that you are alright and try talking her into letting you leave with me for Ostwick. She will absolutely not let you out if you do not leave Skyhold immediately after. She can't risk you provoking Turner again."

Cullen sat up straight. He'd completely forgotten to even ask why Turner had suddenly done this to her.

"What happened, do you know? She told me he was... in love with her now." He spoke the words with disgust. "And he seemed to buy into that little charade at the tavern. Why did he do this to her now?"

Leliana shook her head. "I don't know, she didn't tell me. Ask her yourself, but for the love of the Maker, do not let it rile you up again. Take the chance to actually do something useful here. I could certainly use your knowledge of the Free Marches, and you're more than capable to assist me with anything that might come up. We're going to find her sister and then we're going back here to take care of unfinished business."

Cullen saw a dangerous glint in the spymaster's eyes. She was furious underneath, he saw that now. She was just a thousand times better than him at controlling herself.

She walked away and slipped up the stairs, leaving Cullen only to wait and try to heed her advice: bottle up his feelings until he could let them out unhindered, when they returned with Trev's sister safely in their care.

What a glorious and violent day it will be.

Trev did indeed come to visit him later that night. Cullen was relieved to see that there wasn't a trace on her of the beating she had taken. He wasn't sure if he could remain calm if he had to see her like that again and was glad that Dorian seemed to have done a fine job.

She looked a little sad when she saw him sitting on the floor of the cell but she smoothed out her expression and adopted a look of determination on her face.

"Cullen..." Her voice was soft as she came closer, her fingers sliding around one of the bars of the door. "I'm sorry we had to do this."

He stood up and walked towards her, closing the distance between them. He caressed her fingers with his, only the bars between them now.

"It's alright, my love. You did what you had to. I'm sorry I lost control."

She looked up at him, relief apparent in her eyes.

"No, you don't have to say sorry. If I saw you in the same state I was in... I would kill anything that even moved close to you. That's why I had to get you in here. Because I understand."

She closed her eyes as he reached out and touched her face, his hand barely squeezing through the bars.

She tilted her face into the palm of his hand, her eyes still closed, as if it could keep the rest of reality out for a few moments of blessed peace.

"Please, Trev. Help me understand... why did he do this?" he whispered.

She slowly turned her eyes to his and looked at him, hesitant.

"I promise I'll stay calm," he said.

"Someone saw us. Leliana was wrong, she wasn't the only one. When we slipped into the keep together after the party... I thought... Maker I was so stupid. I thought everyone here in Skyhold were loyal to us. No one likes Turner, not really. But he must have someone here working for him. There are so many people who come and go these days, it's impossible for us to keep track of them all. I was careless. After the lecture I gave you about finding some other girl to avoid suspicion... just to fuck it all up a day later. It was all my fault."

Cullen wanted to hold her so badly, but he kept quiet and let her continue.

"In the morning, when he woke up... someone must have told him about us. I was still asleep when he dragged me up and... I'm sorry, I'll spare you the details. He was so angry, Cullen, rambling about how I'd betrayed him. He's not right in the head. Me and my stupid ideas... making him care for me, I thought it was so smart. But it only made things worse."

"It's not your fault, Trev. You couldn't have known, you only tried to make things a little easier. Let me go with Leliana tomorrow."

She looked up, surprised. "You want to go to Ostwick with her? I... I don't know, Cullen. It could be dangerous."

"It's better than the alternatives, don't you think? You either have to keep me imprisoned, or I have to go through the torture of not being able to do a single thing about this, and Turner will probably freak out when he sees me. Where does he think I am now, anyway?"

"On a mission. So I guess... sending you to Ostwick is the best option after all."

"Then will you please unlock the door so I can hold you before I leave?"

A small, careful smile played at her lips and she pulled a key out and did as he asked. She opened the door and he immediately pulled her into his arms. He breathed her in and kissed the top of her hair, savouring the feeling of her arms tightening around him as she buried her head against his chest.

"I love you so much, always. I'll bring her back to you, I swear," he said, his voice low and emotional.

"I know you will."

He pulled his head back and looked at her. "I only have one condition."

"Oh?"

"When I return with Rose, and you see that she is safe with your own eyes... You give me one hour with Turner before you kill him."

She smiled, a dangerous, wicked smile, and something appeared in her eyes that would make even Cullen tremble if he was her target.

"If you wish it, I'll give you a week with him, however long you want. My own condition is that I get to watch every second. Do what you want as long as it doesn't kill him. I would ask you to make sure he suffers, but I know that you will. And then, I get to be the one who snuffs the life out of him for good."

Still smiling, she kissed him hard.