Disclaimer: I do not own the Dragon Age franchise obviously, nor any of the characters. Enjoy!
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Just a little late,
You found me, you found me
You Found Me, The Fray
"He always could tell something was wrong, every single time after the first. Malcolm Hawke was a smart man, and a good mage. After so many times around, though, the pain numbed.
"Papa, you're back!"
"Marian, darling, can you go help your mother please? I'll watch the twins." I had grown used to it. I'm dangerous, and he knows it. It doesn't hurt anymore, just disappoints.
I'll-I'll be good this time around, Papa, just don't leave us!"
"Yes father." Not 'Papa' anymore. Not now. I slowly stood up away from the twins, unwilling to part, but knowing I must. He mustn't suspect this time around.
"It was Bethany who started crying first. Always did.
"P-papa? Papa, no!
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It was a peaceful moment in all of the chaos and I was lying on my back, my eyes down but not my walls. Never my walls.
"Why do you stay with us? After everything? How can you stand it?" I knew he was standing above me, watching over me like he always did. I had grown used to the watchful gaze.
Because I loved all of them, down to their every flaw, every imperfection in them. I knew them, I knew their strengths and weaknesses, their flaws and talents. Because after all the hardships we had seen together, I had grown closer to them. Because you can only spend so long with people before you start to love.
"Because it would be too much trouble to dump all your sorry asses."
Because through it all, every death and rebirth, they always came for me.
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"Mian? Mian...where's Daddy? Mian, w-what's wrong? Mian, big sis, w-why are you crying?! Ple-please, I-I'll go get Daddy, I'll go get Daddy, sis, so- so don't cry anymore!"
"E-even after all this time..?" I shouldn't care anymore, I shouldn't, not when I hadn't had a Papa ever since I came back. Even so...
Why does it hurt so much?!
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It was Carver that was clinging to me as the funeral progressed. Carver, who never left my side, who I held in my arms with his head buried in my shoulder.
Bethany stood at the edge of the lake, tears rolling down her face as everyone else parted. She was the closest to Father, always desperate to learn more magic, more spells.
You can have him back, just say the word.
Don't feel, lock it away, you're used to it. Don't listen.
"D-dad-dy...why?"
And I ushered my family into the house where Mother was, locked in her room as she stared blankly at the wall. I would take care of them like Malcolm told me to, like I had to. I was used to it. Mother nearly always broke. Sometimes too much to put back together, but I wasn't going to let that happen this time.
There was one time where she wouldn't eat or drink, and all she would do was sit on the bench he made her outside in her garden. She would look at me, her eyes glazed, and smile while the tears poured down her pale cheeks.
I had always looked like Father.
And then she wasn't there one day. The twins were terrified, crying and begging me to find her. I had to look, though I believed she just needed some alone time. She was always so strong in my eyes. She held our family together after Father died, after one of the twins died, even as she found out that Gamlen betrayed her. She was always a pillar for me the first few times.
I found the necklace Father made her washed up on the shore, not too far from a cliff.
I remember watching the Templars take my sister to that tower in the lake. It wasn't much latter after that, that Carver was killed by some bandits we encountered.
I was not.
I don't remember living very long that time around.
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"Marian, Mian, I'm-I'm so sorry love. I'm back, please, please forgive me...I-I'll be a better mother, but we have to move, love, or the Templars might come for you two. Come, help the twins pack. We're going to Lothering."
And it now begins. A few more years. Carver, my little brother, will join the the army, and I will stay home to take care of us and teach Bethany magic. He'll come back, and it will all begin.
He'll come back.
"Yes mother. And..." I hesitated, -don'tleaveagainplease- "And thank you, for...for coming back to us."
I turned around and hurried away, pretending I didn't see the tears.
"Carver, Bethany, come on. Pack up anything you must, we're moving." I'll protect them, this time. This time will be when neither of them die, they mustn't, I-
I can make everything better, no one will be hurt, no one will ever die aga-
No! Nonononono, go away, go away, demondemonmonster- stop.
It's fine, it's gone.
"Sister?" Bethany. My little sister -threeyearsleft- looked up at me from her spot on the floor, in the process of picking up her clothes. It's Bethany.
"Sorry, I was just deep in thought. Now, hurry up, and you too, Carver!"
"Don't tell me what to do!" Ah, this is the Carver I always remembered best. Always going against me, but still following my lead. That part of him never changes.
Three more years. I still had prepare, to grow stronger. I had to protect them this time.
I wouldn't allow myself to die.
Pintsizedpyscho- Thank you for being the first person to review! And hopefully, somewhere good!
princesslolitatheorca654- Thank you for dropping a review! I'm glad you like it~
Random Rockets- Thanks for the encouragement! I hope you liked this chapter!
Sin of the Fallen- That's mainly why I tried writing one for Dragon Age, and not one for Naruto, for example.
Fast update! No, really, it's not even been a month, this is really fast for me. So just warning the readers that I have a really bad update schedule. Which means no schedule at all.
But seriously, guys, I love all of you. I mean, this story got so much attention already. Thanks guys!