Hey guys, sorry its been a while. I have been really busy. Planning my wedding actually, to the best guy in the world, who reminds me of Cullen actually, Sigh. Anyway I have like another 5 chapters all written in a notebook, all ready to be typed up and published, so I promise not to keep you guys hanging long. Enjoy.

3: Avalanche

-Cullen worries for Evelyn the more the hours pass, before heading out to find her- AU after Havens destruction-

"It's been hours," Cullen growled at Cassandra. "We allsaw the avalanche, saw the dragon fly away. Yet where is she?"
"Calm yourself Commander," the seeker chastised. "The snowstorm is too bad for any of s to go looking for her. If we did we would lose more men senselessly." Cullen sighed "I know, its just..." Cullen averted his eyes, hoping not give to much away. In thet for now past few weeks Evelyn and he had become very close. There had been flirting back and forth, long looks across the war table, and Cullen had become to long for the long chats that they had whenever she sought him out after long days treking the Hinterlands.
And now she could be dead.
And it killed him that he was unable to do anything back in Haven, and was powerless even still.
But Cassandra was right, going out there now to look for her would be suicide. There was only one thing to do. Wait. And it was something Cullen had never been good at.
"You care about her," Cassandra stated. "We all do," her hand came down apon his shoulder. "Once the storm has cleared we will find her, you have my word. But for now you should rest up. We will all need our strength for the next few hours."

He retreated to his makeshift tent, the startings of a headache making him unwilling to stand out in the cold and argue with the two other advisors and Cassandra, who had decided to butt in. He didn't have the energy to do much else but lay on his bedroll and cover his eyes with his arm. Sleep didn't come however, no matter how much he wanted it too.
He tried, but failed, to get the images of Evelyn out of his mind. She had stood, defiant until the end, he face covered in soot, blood and sweat, trying her hardest to be the leader they all deserved. Yet Cullen hadn't been fooled. Her eyes were the only thing that gave her away. Pools of crystal that were trying, and failing not to well with tears as she looked at him. She had smiled sadly at him as she made to go, and his heart had shattered there and then.
If only he had grabbed her arm, made her stay, not let her go to certain doom. He let out a choked sob. He had failed her, when he had had the power to save her. Instead he had listened to her and gotten everyone out, made sure they survived. Yet it was all meaningless if the one person who had made Cullen's day brighter, who's laughter and smile lit up even the darkest day, and who he had begun to treasure most in world, was not there to celebrate their survival.

He must have fallen asleep, because he suddenly jolted upright, sweat coating his brow, having relived his failure again. Sleep didn't stop Eveyln Trevelyan from haunting him it seemed.
He left his tent in search of a cool drink, he noticed the snow had stopped to the odd flurry. Forgoing his plan, he instead made his way to the armory, grabbing his sword and shield, before making to leave the camp, determined to find her.
He noticed Cassandra follow him with a few of the men, which he didn't argue about.
"Fan out," she ordered them once they reached the top of the ridge. "Commander, you search that way."
"OK," Cullen mumbled, as he turned from them and jogged down the steep snow drift that hadn't been there before. It made his heart ache, knowing that she could, quite easily be trapped under all this snow, never to be found again. He shook his head at his negativity, before trudging on. He pulled his fur collar closer to his neck, shivering as wind blew by, dusting him with a snowy powder.
"EVELYN," he called. "Where are you." In the distance he could hear Cassandra call for her, only to be met with the same silence he had gotten.
"EVELYN," he yelled, getting frustrated as the minutes yielded no reply. He was some distance away from the camp now, without success, and judging by the clouds overhead, another storm was on its way.
Five more minutes, he told himself, refusing to give up. Evelyn was a strong woman, no matter how many times she had tried to convince him otherwise, it was obvious to him. She was not going o die, not like this surely? Not when she had survived so much worse.
"EVELYN," he practically screamed, his throat dry and sore. He was frustrated. How could he have failed her like this. He wasn't fit enough to call himself the Inquisitions Commander.
Finally defeated, he started to turn, when something caught his eye, a silver shimmer in the distance. He ran up to it, scooping the small necklace out of the snow. He recognized it. Evelyn never took it off. She had told him it was the only thing connecting her to her family they had let her take to the circle. He popped it in his pocket. At least he had something to keep her with him. He felt his eyes water, rubbing at them furiously. He started to walk again, when suddenly, a faint voice met his, so quite he would have missed it if he hadn't been on extra alert for it.
"C..cullen," it was a voice he would never forget the sound of, even if he was struck down deaf.
Turning slightly, he suddenly spotted her, coming over a ridge not two feet away. Her brunette hair had fallen from its usual ponytail and hung loose around her face. She was shivering, limping and clutching her side, where Cullen could make out a red stain of blood that was oozing between her fingers. The only thing keeping her upright was her staff, which looked like it was about to break.
"Evelyn," he ran to her and caught her, just as her strength left her. He cradled her small form close. "It's OK, I'm here." He ran a hand across her cheek, barely daring to believe she was here, in his arms, alive. He sent a prayer out to the Maker, for bringing her back to him.
"Cullen," she mumbled, just as she lost consciousness, "Thank you."
He lifted her up into his arms and made his way back to camp with her, making a silent vow to her all the way.
Never again would he fail anyone, especially her, ever again.

This was one of the harder chapters for me to write and edit, as getting into Cullen's mind during a time hes not actually on screen to gage his reaction, (Which by the way bioware make the characters so expressive its unreal,) but i got through it. Next chapter wont be long guys. Much love S x