Rays of sunlight welcomed Hawke and her friends back. Weeks in the darkness had left them weary and longing for home. Breathing the fresh air and feeling the warmth touch their bare skin was a gift from the Maker himself. They found themselves on a grassy knoll in the outskirts of the Free Marches, only a mile away from Kirkwall. A cool creak bubbled nearby. They set the chest of treasure down and ran to wash the filth from their bodies.

With armor stripped off, they bathed in their underclothes. The creek carried away their soot and dried blood. Vivien immersed her entire body before returning to shore and braiding her soaked hair. She lay in the sun and let it dry her. Her companions finished washing and sat beside her. In silence, they basked for hours.

Varric began to pull his boots on. "I've got some contacts in Lowtown. I am going to see what we can expect to get for all the loot. And I hope to get some information on where that slime-ball Bartrand is hiding." He said with a grim smile. "Fenris, Isabela, mind giving me a hand? No way I can carry this load on my own."

"Ha, I wasn't going to let it out of my sight anyways." Isabela winked.

Vivien smiled, "If you don't mind, I am eager to tell my family the news!" She laughed, "Ah … no more Gamlen! Mother will be so happy!"

Anders stood up and pulled on his robes. "Mind if I tag along? Something tells me the looks on their faces will be priceless."

Hawke smiled and nodded. The five of them traveled to Lowtown together before splitting up at the hanged man. Vivien grew giddier and giddier the closer she and Anders got to Gamlen's house. She chattered away aimlessly about her mother and sister. Her happiness made Anders smile.

Suddenly, Vivien grabbed him by the robes and pulled him behind a building. Anders let out a surprise grunt as Hawke's body slammed his against a wall.

"Vivien, what the hell ..."

"Shh ..." She gently covered his mouth with one hand and pointed around the corner with the other. "Templars." She whispered.

Anders slowly peaked his head out from behind their hiding place. His heart skipped a beat. Twenty templars surrounded the little Lowtown residential courtyard. Many of them were knocking on doors and interrogating the neighbors. He could tell they were looking for someone. Anders prayed it wasn't him. Then, a bad feeling hit the pit of his stomach. He realized the danger that Bethany was in.

As if on cue, Vivien cried out. "No!". Anders followed her gaze and peered right at Gamlen's porch. Leandra was sobbing on her knees while Bethany tried to comfort her. A templar gruffly grabbed the girl by the elbow and pulled her up. Vivien tensed and grabbed Anders face to get his attention.

"Listen," she breathed, "I will handle this. Get back to your clinic! If Justice tries to take over … I can't let them take you too! Or worse …" Hawke took a deep breath. "Go!" She whispered harshly. With that, she was sprinting to her sister.

Anders watched as the templars began to raise their weapons. Vivien put her hands in the air as she slowed her pace. They began to back off as she embraced her sister and sobbed. Bethany was speaking softly and forced a smile. Anders read her lips. "I'm going without a fight. No punishments. Please don't worry about me."

Vivien held her mother back as three templars grabbed Bethany and carted her away to the gallows. "I love you!" Bethany screamed. "Take care of mother! I will be okay!"

Anders felt his anger rising. With it was the bristling feeling of Justice trying to seek vengeance. And so, they rip away another child from a mother's embrace. I will see them all fall.

Anders shook his head. He had to run before something he could not control happened. With one last glance at Leandra and Hawke, he began to flee in the shadows of the bazaar as he made his descent to Darktown.

…

…

…

It was late at night. Anders was exhausted from treating the refugees who were excited to see his return. The patients had finally returned to their families and makeshift beds on the dirty floors on Darktown. Anders stretched his aching body and crept outside to blow out the lanterns, indicating his clinic was closed.

He was about to close and lock the doors behind him when he noticed a lone figure approaching in the dark. Anders squinted and cautiously moved closer. His eyes brightened when he realized it was Hawke. At the same time, Vivien noticed Anders as well. She ran to him and buried her face in his chest. Anders sighed with understanding and sadness as she stroked her back and led her inside the clinic. He set her down on his cot in the back corner and handed her a cup of hot tea. He locked the clinic before returning to sit beside her.

In the dim light, he could see a redness around her eyes and knew Vivien had been crying. The cot creaked under his weight as Anders sat beside Hawke and put his arm around her tightly. He rested his chin on her soft hair and she nestled into his neck. He could feel the wet tears from her cheek.

"She is a strong girl. Charming and sweet. It isn't ideal, but she will be okay in the circle." Anders whispered soothingly.

Vivien sighed. "I know. They promised they wouldn't punish her if she went without a fight. In a way, I think she wanted to go. She always felt so guilty about being an apostate. I think she felt like she held mother and I back." Hawke wiped a tear with the back of her hand. "I feel like I let father down. He was so determined to keep our family together. And now … Carver is dead and my sister is in the gallows."

Anders stroked her cheek. "You didn't let him down. I bet he is at the Maker's side and smiling down. He raised a daughter who accepts everyone for who they are and brings light to the world for all those in need."

Vivien smiled and gazed at the far wall distantly. Anders took a moment to savor her presence so close to his. Her hair and skin were smooth and cool. She had a gentle smell of mint that always calmed Anders. He felt her eyelashes flutter against his throat as she blinked. Anders could feel his heart racing and was nervous that she would hear.

Vivien snuggled closer. "Anders, remember in the deeproads how I asked to hear about your life sometime? Would you mind talking now? It would help me keep my mind off things."

Anders smiled and cleared his throat. He told Vivien about the happy times. She chuckled when he described all the pranks he pulled in the Ferelden Circle as a young mage and listened intently when he described all his creative escape attempts. She became very fascinated when Anders began to recount his time in Amaranthine with the Warden Commander Cousland and smiled widely when he talked about his adventures with Ser Pounce A lot.

He felt good. Anders had not told his tale to anyone in a long time. He did leave out the more depressing stories and details except the interesting circumstances with the Architect. Vivien was awe struck. After hours of talking, Anders began to ramble. He eventually looked down to see if Vivien was still listening. He laughed quietly when he saw her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

Trying his best to not make the bed creak, Anders slowly disentangled himself from Hawke's arms and had her lay on the cot. He smiled tenderly as Vivien's sleeping form settled and stretched on the mattress. Anders turned to go find a patient's gurney bed to sleep on. He barely took a step before he felt a soft hand grab his. He turned.

"Please, stay." Hawke whispered to him, still half asleep.

Anders kissed her hand and crawled onto the cot beside her. He lay on his side and wrapped an arm around Vivien's midsection to pull her close. She murmured pleasantly as she settled her body against the contours that Anders made and was pulled back into her happy dreams.

He lay awake for a while longer, listening to her breathe and feeling her heat against him. It was moments like these that made him feel like the old Anders again. Justice was still there, but his presence felt distant.

Vivien sighed and rolled over in her sleep. Her slender arms found Anders neck and gently embraced him. It didn't take long for Anders to fall asleep too, lulled by the tender breasts that swelled against him with a soothing rhythm.

…

…

…

A noise in the early morning awoke Anders. He startled awake and looked down at Vivien. She was still fast asleep with a pretty smile on her lips. Still groggy, Anders peered around the room to find the source of the noise. He saw a figure near the clinic entrance and rubbed his eyes. Squinting, he realized the figure was Fenris.

Fenris watched them with a distant pain in his eyes. His cheek was still swollen and cut from the battle with the Rock Wraith. Anders realized he must have come by for treatment or a poultice. They met each others gaze and locked eyes for a minute. Fenris' eyes narrowed at Anders before he turned and left the clinic. It was not a menacing look, but Anders knew what it meant.

It was a message. Treat her well, mage. If you hurt her, I'll hurt you.

UPDATE/NOTE: This fanfic is on pause for awhile. I will be working on a new Dragon Age fanfic that centers around this Hawke and Anders, (As well as Queen Cousland-Theirin, and Mahariel Dalish Elf Warden.)
I hope to one day finish this one. Please forgive me for the indefinite delay.