Leliana could not doze off any more in her chair so she set about tidying the room up so it would be ready for when I woke up.

She was exhausted with all the waiting. Most of us had made it out of the final battle and now she was ready to begin whatever came after.

Leliana sat and pulled my hand into hers yet again.

"I'm here, my love. Please wake up."

There was no movement again and Leliana closed her eyes.

"Hello, friends! We bring fun, food and fuzzies!"

Leliana snapped her eyes open to the sound of Alistair entering the room and she turned in the chair.

Zevran was beside Alistair, carrying Shmooples in his arms.

"Ah, my lovely Leliana, it's good to see you. How fares our delicious Detra? I have heard she is sleeping most of the days away."

Leliana was grateful for their distraction and accepted Shmooples in her arms, doing a healing nuggie snuggie with him. Shmooples squeaked his approval of seeing her again many times and then made a nest of her lap, having missed her.

"I was wondering if it would be all right to leave him with you again?" Zevran gestured to the happy nug on Leliana's lap. "Oghren and myself would like to start repairs on the city, preferably starting with the tavern."

Leliana giggled a bit.

"Well, of course you should start with the most important buildings. That's fine. I'm going to be here most of the time, I'm sure."

Shmooples had now noticed that I was on the bed and was straining to reach the bed with his little front feet from Leliana's lap.

"You want to visit with Detra, sweets? Here, go and see her, but be careful."

Leliana placed Shmooples next to me on the bed and he set about snuffling his way around, checking all things. Leliana watched him stare at my face, and knew he was probably confused as to why I did not greet him.

"She's sleeping, my little peanut. When she wakes up, she will give you all the kisses and snuggles you want."

Shmooples turned and looked at Leliana and appeared in thought after she spoke. He then stood down off my arm and plopped himself down against my side, stretching his little legs out and letting out a huge sigh.

Leliana's face was pure sorrow for just a moment watching Shmooples come to rest where he did. She knew he wanted to protect me and was even trying to shield me with his own body.

Leliana rubbed his little pink belly and his eyes closed with sheer delight.

"Yes, my little love. You'll protect her until she wakes up. I know you'll keep her safe."

Shmooples faded into a nap quickly after all of the excitement and Leliana disappeared into her thoughts again, completely forgetting Zevran and Alistair were there.

Zevran coughed to get her attention again.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I've just been..."

Alistair finished for her.

"Here all the time. You need to get out and get some air or food or something, Leliana. You cannot stay cooped up here. Detra will wake up eventually. You don't need..."

"But I want my face to be the first thing she sees. So she knows I never left her."

Alistair scoffed.

"Well what's wrong with my face? How come she can't wake up to that?"

Leliana clucked her tongue and shook her head as Alistair giggled.

"You're being too serious, Leliana. We made it through the battle of our lives! We saved so many lives! Detra is going to be fine and you two can celebrate as soon as she's ready to wake up! In my opinion, you should really be much happier than you are."

Zevran joined in.

"You know I hardly agree with Alistair, Leliana, but he is indeed correct this time. You know how quickly battles can be lost and the amount of deaths, but we are alive! We are the victors! We all need to be at what's left of the tavern drinking right now!"

Zevran and Alistair launched into chatter about which was more important in a tavern- the mead or the food- and they dragged Leliana in as well, knowing she needed conversation, anything to get her mind off me.

So many voices.

So many.

Voices.

I heard myself groan and my eyes opened.

It took me a moment to realize that I was indeed awake and my eyes settled on everyone in front of me and slowly I recognized them.

Thoughts returned to my mind and I tried to sit up, needing answers.

Leliana was the first to notice me move.

"Detra! Maker! You're awake!"

Zevran and Alistair responded in kind, greeting me.

I struggled with trying to sit up again and Leliana was trying to get me to relax at first.

"Where...who...is everyone..."

My voice cracked badly as my throat had been dry and dormant for at least two days, not that I knew how much time had passed.

Leliana finally realized that she needed to let me sit up or I would hurt myself. I still had that painful throbbing in my chest and shoulder and I could not remember what it was from.

Shmooples was awake now and wiggling with excitement, seeing me awake.

I smiled when I saw him; he always made me happy.

"Hey...hey there..."

Shmooples got pulled away by Leliana after he started jumping on me; he didn't understand about my wounds.

Alistair touched my shoulder.

"It's good to see you again, my friend. That was a crazy fight."

I smiled, having come so far with Alistair.

And it seemed there was still further to go.

I heard Shmooples clicking around on the floor and my memory was triggered.

"Mabs? He...he.."

I shook my head and teared up, remembering the ferocious ogre battle.

Leliana touched my hand.

"We have him, he's here. Whenever you're ready..."

I let out a sigh of grief.

Waking up had been both nirvana and perdition. So much lost, yet so much retained.

I had remembered Morrigan as soon as I'd come to earlier, but only now had the flash of the end. Things were only coming back in bits and pieces.

"Who did we lose? Is everyone..."

I froze in place as I saw the rooftop scene again in my mind and I choked, holding my chest.

"Morrigan...she..."

Leliana grabbed my hand again, her expression confirming my fear.

"Morrigan died a hero, Detra. She saved all of us." Zevran said quietly from the foot of the bed.

I sunk forward in the bed, once again reliving that last conversation word for word.

The others allowed me my grieving and finally I was able to rise and face them again after a few moments.

Leliana touched my cheek and her eyes shared my pain.

"We have Morrigan here as well..."

I exhaled several times, each breath more agonizing than the last.

"I need to see her."

Alistair looked at Leliana for her reaction and she was distressed, her face contorting.

"Right now? But I don't think you should be up walking around yet."

My gaze on Leliana never wavered and she knew then I could not be swayed.

"We've got her." Zevran said.

"Yes, we'll each take an arm." Alistair said.

My two friends helped me stand and then slowly shuffle down the hallway.

I saw many people hurrying about who know doubt had been awake for hours on end while I had slept. I thought for sure there was something I should be doing but I could hardly stand on my own right now. I would have to deal with feeling helpless until whatever injuries dwelled beneath were healed. I hoped for sooner.

"You doing okay?" Alistair questioned.

"Yes."

Even if I was not, I would have continued.

I had to see her.