Ok, so this is a very short chapter I wrote just to get out of studying for my Afrikaans test.

It reveals a bit of what happens to James, but it still ends in a cliffhanger.(I'm mean like that ;P)

Anyway- Read, Enjoy and REVIEW! please o_o

'NO! Please... I don't know how-' The poker cut him off, it's sharp searing point dragging across his bare chest. His ear splitting screams rang through the air. The smell of his own burnt flesh was nauseating.

'Answer the question!' the inflictor of his pain commanded after pulling back the long metal rod, his eyes blazing with a mixture of rage and pleasure. This man clearly enjoyed his line of work.

James didn't speak, however. He was panting, trying to catch his breath, his eyes closed tightly because of the agony. Tears had sprung from them hours ago but now there weren't any left, he was all dried up.

'What. Is. He?' the tormentor yelled, jabbing him with each word. 'Is he a demon? A wraith? What?'

James gasped before chocking on his own blood and bile. He bent forwards as much as the chains that held him would allow and wretched. He stayed like this, sobbing silently.

The man standing before him gave a cry of rage and yanked him up by his hair. He leaned in close, his mouth almost touching James's ear. 'Listen to me carefully, abomination!' he whispered menacingly. 'There is nothing you can do to escape. Nothing you can do to fight back. Nothing you can do to stop the pain... Except by telling me what I want to know! Understand!'

James whimpered but said nothing. The man reared up and slapped him across the face.

'This is impossible!' the man raged and turned, throwing the white hot poker to the ground. He stormed towards the door and pulled it open. He stopped, looking back at James who hung from the wall like a corpse. 'I'll be right back, so don't get to comfortable!' he spat, before leaving. The door slammed loudly.

James looked up from where he hung, wincing at the pain the movement brought. Blood covered almost every inch of the small room. It was his blood.

Spots danced before his eyes as consciousness abandoned him. His last waking thought was of Anders.

There was an insistent knock on the door, startling Anders. He stood from his cluttered table and moved to open it. There stood Leandra, her face as white as a sheet.

'Anders!' she cried and flung herself into the room. 'Something is dreadfully wrong!'

'What do you mean? Has something happened?' Anders asked, a bit taken aback by the woman's sudden appearance.

Leandra turned to look him in the eyes, he could see that she had been crying. 'I fear that something has happened to James! He hasn't been home in days! He'd never just take off without letting someone know!' she cried, grabbing hold of his jacket.

Anders was amazed at the way that the woman had grown so attached to James in such a small time. She even called him son on occasion.

'Leandra, calm down. Perhaps he's just on a some kind of mission that required immediate attention or maybe he's just staying somewhere else for a while?' Anders knew how stupid that sounded but he didn't really know what to say. James is a grown man after all, he was allowed to make his own choices and should be able to take care of himself.

'At first I thought so too, but by the second day of hearing nothing I went to see Aveline. She says that she hasn't seen him either.' She paused briefly to wipe her eyes. 'I then asked her to look into it and she did. Nobody has seen him for almost a week!'

A small twinge of worry crept forward in the healers mind but he pushed it away. He hadn't seen James in a while either but he had just assumed that James was avoiding him after their kiss.

He reached forward, taking Leandra by the shoulders. 'Listen, I'll go speak to Varric and hear what he has to say. He has a lot of contacts and if anything is wrong, he would know about it.'

Leandra gazed into his eyes for a moment. They seemed glassy because of her tears. Finally she looked away and nodded. 'Please, Anders... I can't bear loosing another child.' She whispered.

'You aren't going to. I promise.' He said and hugged her tightly, letting her cry against his chest.

Anders was really starting to worry now. Varric had gone to meet with some of his contacts after Anders had told him about Leandra's worries the day before, but he still hadn't let the healer know of his findings. The mage paced through his clinic, stopping only to help a patient or speak to a worried family member, before continuing.

Hours later the dwarf appeared at his door. He wasn't alone. Merril, Aveline, Fenris and even Isabela were with him. They entered the small clinic, all of them wearing a sombre expression. Merril looked like she had been crying. This caused Anders to panic.

'What happened? Did you hear anything? Where is he!' the mage yelled, grabbing hold of the dwarf.

'Blondie...' he started but he stopped, not knowing how to progress.

'No!' Anders said loudly. 'He isn't... He can't be... dead?' Anger, guilt and sorrow crashed down on him when Varric didn't say anything. He wanted to scream but found that he couldn't. Justice stirred from deep within, rising to the surface with frightening speed. Anders didn't care, he didn't fight it, instead embracing to coming darkness.

Suddenly he stopped when a hand touched his shoulder. He looked up into the large green eyes of Merril. 'He isn't dead, Anders.' She said softly.

'What?' the mage asked in confusion, yet he felt extreme relief at hearing her words.

'But he might as well be...' Varric added.

Anders turned back to the dwarf. 'What do you mean by that?'

Varric didn't say anything for a moment but finally he looked up, sadness evident on his face.

'He's to be made tranquil...'

'Last chance, mage!' the man cried, hitting him again.

'You... you have to stop...' James whispered, his voice straining.

'Oh? Is that so?' the man asked mockingly. 'And why do I have to do anything you tell me? You're not really in the position to make demands.'

James knew that this was true, but he felt like he had to warn the man of his approaching death.

'I-I can't hold him back much longer...' James whispered, shutting his eyes tight, trying to contain the rage that had been building in him since the first cut had been made days before.

'Hold who back? Your little friend? HA!' the man cackled, throwing his head back as he did so. 'I'm not afraid of him.'

Suddenly there was a flash and the sound of chains rattling. The man's eyes grew wide as James broke free from the wall, falling to the ground. He was about to turn to the door to call for help but he wasn't quick enough. There was a loud thud as he hit the floor, laying flat on his back. James moved forward, straddling the man. He leaned forward, pinning his victim to the floor and licked him on the cheek. He grinned and gave a menacing chuckle. 'I love the taste of fear.'

Hehe, Garrett strikes again!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more!