I'm so truly sorry for having taken such a long time to post this, but with all the rain we've been getting in Washington State, my roof leaked in three places and completely flooded two rooms and the hallway, so the owners brought a crew in to work on pulling the carpet and rebuilding the dry walls! It's been like a month of constant noise because of the dehumidifiers and fans that were put in 24/7! Now we're in the process of putting things back the way they were and since the computers will have to be disconnected to go back to the room they were originally in, I'll soon be disconnected from the net, so I'm posting this chapter today!

This fic is about done and ending already, and I feel really sad about it! However, I have ideas for a one-shot using the characters in the fic (Anders/Rhianna and Bethany) and also am planning a sequel for it when Inquisition comes out, and IF you want to know what is happening in Anders and Rhianna's world, just let me know in a PM or right here in a review so I can carry on with their merry little lives and all the things they will be doing in their cozy and dangerous little world in a sequel! :D I'm also planning other fics as well. Maybe even one about Fenris, hehe! :3

Thanks so much to my wonderful, loyal reviewers who put a smile on my face and keep me motivated: eboncat, Philliwolf5, anesor, Eilonwycousland, Apollo Wings, karebear and Pintsizedpsycho, as well as all you lovely people who are still following the fic and have put it on your lists of favorites!

This chapter is a bit dramatic, so I'm giving you a fair warning! :P

My disclaimer as usual: Bioware owns everything! :D

Chapter 28

Anders closed and locked the door that led into the Amell cellar with a sigh. He now wished the mansion would somehow magically shrink, so he could walk only two more steps into the room and fall onto the bed. He was so tired, he actually swayed on his feet for a few seconds.

"Maker," he murmured, as his eyes spotted the light coming from the fireplace in the main hall. It seemed like it was such a long way off.

He willed himself to focus on what he was doing and dragged his feet across the room. Reaching the main hall, he stopped at the staircase to pick Ser Whiskers up. The cat was meowing at him and he smiled.

"I'm sure Orana has fed you," he murmured into the cat's fur. "I need to get to bed, kitty. I'm exhausted!"

He yawned into the cat's soft fur and nodded off where he was, leaning against the staircase railings. Ser Whiskers woke him up by squirming out of his grasp and jumping to the floor immediately afterwards.

"Good night, Ser Whiskers," he said softly as the cat looked at him and stalked off indignantly. Anders suppressed a chuckle and made his way up the stairs, determined to reach the top and the bedroom without falling asleep in the process.

He was grinning victoriously to himself by the time he stood in front of the bedroom door. He turned the knob and opened the door as quietly as he could, so as not to wake Rhianna, but he needn't have bothered. She was sitting in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace, her arms hugging her knees against her chest.

Anders shut the door behind him as he took a couple of steps towards her. She looked so forlorn and terribly vulnerable that he immediately felt worried – all traces of the exhaustion he had felt miraculously vanishing.

She had heard him enter the room, of course, even though she kept her eyes on the dancing flames of the fire before her. He approached her quietly and sat beside her, leaning over to her and kissing her tenderly on the crown of her head as she leaned into his welcomed embrace.

They sat there watching the flames for a few minutes, Anders caressing her tenderly.

"I'm scared, Anders," she finally whispered. He paused as she lifted her deep violet eyes to him, shimmering with unshed tears.

"You don't have to be scared, love. I'll protect you as much as I – "

"You don't understand," she said, shutting her eyes for the briefest of moments. "I'm not scared of what's to come. I'm not scared of death, or abominations, or the undead."

"Really?" he tried to joke, a smile lighting his features temporarily. "Because abominations are ug…leee."

She smiled back at his joke and somewhere deep inside he felt a sudden sense of relief that in spite of the seriousness of the situation, she could still smile. Rhianna bowed her head for a while, her eyes once again on the fire. He waited patiently for her to talk, willing himself to silence.

"I'm scared of myself," the words rushed out suddenly, surprising him entirely. He had not expected her to say that.

"My love," he finally said, his voice dry.

"Please, hear me out. I need to tell you!" Rhianna exclaimed, disentangling herself from his arms, her eyes wide with fear.

He smoothed her hair away from her eyes and face, nodding quietly, his eyes warm and loving. Rhianna, however, looked away and sighed.

"There is this darkness inside me, Anders. A darkness born of hatred and disgust. I'm afraid of what it can make me do," she said, her bottom lip trembling slightly. "I was scared to lose you, because everyone I loved died. But I'm still scared of losing you and it's not because you can die. It's because of me. Of what I've become. I can't – " her voice broke, the tears now running down her cheeks. "I can barely control the hatred I feel. I want to crush every single templar with my bare hands some days. I want them all dead, Anders! Every one of them! I don't care if there are good templars out there!"

He said nothing, merely wiped her tears, his hands softly caressing her cheeks. Her gaze changed to an angry one and she shuddered. "A templar raped me. He took away something that was precious. This is why I never thought anyone could love me. But you knew this already, didn't you?"

"Yes," he said, leaning forward to put his arms around her again. She quickly held her hands up and shook her head, making him stop.

"I'm broken, Anders," she sobbed. "I don't know how to trust completely or how to love. I don't even know if I am showing you how much I love you half of the time! I don't know if I'm behaving like someone who is in love. I don't know how much I hurt you when I ignore what you are saying – when I choose to stop listening to you! And you still remain by my side." Rhianna shook her head. "And now, I just know something bad is going to happen, and I hate myself for not wanting to stop it. I hate myself because I believe that I should punish myself. I've always thought this way."

He grabbed her, pinning her against his chest. "No, love. You shouldn't be punished. Ever!" he said fiercely as he raked his fingers through her hair, then stopped as the rest of what she had said suddenly sank in. "What do you mean something bad is going to happen?"

"I know what we helped Velanna to get, and it wasn't for a potion to separate Justice. I'm a rogue after all, and father taught me all about herbs and reagents." After a thoughtful pause, she continued talking. "I used to think he knew everything," she added with a whimsical smile, then sighed. "We still have time to stop it."

"What do you mean? What were the ingredients for?"

"We need to get to the Chantry tomorrow morning," Rhianna whispered as a reply, shutting her eyes tightly. "If we don't, I won't be able to live with myself…"

"I knew helping Velanna was a bad idea," Anders muttered.

"I never listen to you, do I?" Rhianna said sadly. "You warned me repeatedly about Velanna." She sighed and shook her head. "I do it on purpose, you know. I try to push you away as much and as far away as possible. I don't know why you're still here!"

"Because I love you," Anders said lovingly, kissing the crown of her head gently.

"My dear sweet Anders," she murmured, then lifted her head to look at him intently. "Make love to me, Anders. Make me feel special…"

The kiss they shared filled him with passion and he moaned as his hands traveled up and down her back. Standing up, he lifted her and carried her to the bed, trailing kisses down her cheek and neck while he whispered that he loved her. She clung to him, her tears finally stopping as he gently undressed and kissed her, her cheeks flushed as he started to adore every single part of her body.

"Love me like there is no tomorrow, Anders," she whispered. "Love me forever."

"I'll love you forever," he whispered back. "Always…"

…

When Anders woke up, Rhianna was still asleep and he moved closer to her, spooning her with a contented sigh. He remembered he had no patients to tend to and he smiled. Then he remembered what they had talked about the night before and he frowned. He wasn't at all surprised when the memory of his visit to the Fade after the Ritual with the Avvar suddenly popped into his head, either.

He hated it when dream demons-spirits – or whatever they were – were right. The lady had distinctly said he had to be strong for Rhianna, because darkness would fall upon her. And she was right. His frown deepened – almost to a scowl – when he realized he wouldn't be able to sleep or relax anymore.

Damned mystery lady!

Rhianna moved against him and sighed in her sleep. He moved away from her softly and tiptoed into the bathroom to relieve himself and prepare a nice hot bath. If he was lucky, Rhianna would wake up and they could take the bath together. He tried to stop himself from worrying and literally forced himself to think happy thoughts – pushing all thoughts of the white mystery-dream lady from his mind.

"Anders?" Rhianna called from the room.

"I'll be out in a moment, love," he replied as he half-filled the tub with frozen ice, then melted it as fast as he could with a heat spell. "It's still very early, so I'm preparing a nice, hot bath for us."

He heard her laugh and he grinned. Stepping out of the bathroom, he tried to lean nonchalantly against the wooden frame, but couldn't stop himself from smiling when he saw her looking up lovingly at him from the bed.

"We'll have to hurry to the Chantry," she laughed as she stood up and walked towards Anders.

At that moment, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Messere Hawke?" Bodahn called from the other side. "There is a man at the door who wants to see you. He says he's from the Circle."

…

Rhianna hurried down the stairs after a quick scrub, dressed in her champion armor, with Anders close behind her. The mage that stood in the foyer was wringing his hands nervously.

"Champion!" he cried out as soon as she reached the bottom of the staircase. "First Enchanter Orsino is furious and plans to visit the Knight-Commander's office. The mages who will accompany him are nervous and I was sent to find you!"

"But they are always bickering at each other," Rhianna sighed in relief. For a moment there, she had thought it was far more serious.

"You don't understand, Champion. This time it's different. This time the First Enchanter said he was going to fight the Knight-Commander if necessary. He heard a rumor that the Knight-Commander had sent out a request to Val Royeaux to give her permission to invoke the Right of Annulment!"

"That's ridiculous!" Anders exclaimed. "The only one who can invoke the Right is the Grand Cleric!"

"Not if the First-Enchanter does something rash," Rhianna commented with a frown. She turned to Bodahn, who was standing right next to her.

"You must go to the Hanged Man to get Varric and my other companions if you see them. Tell them to go directly to the Gallows," she said quickly. "I'll meet them there. There's somewhere else I have to go to first."

…

"But Your Grace, this is SERIOUS!" Rhianna exclaimed, exasperation written all over her face. "You could die!"

"The Maker will protect us, Champion. I do not doubt Him," the Grand Cleric replied. "I will not leave my flock. If we are to die, so be it."

"You would turn yourself into a martyr, just to add wood to the fire, is that it?" Rhianna spit out, her face red with anger. "Think of the implications if this were to happen!"

"You do not know if it will happen, that's what I'm trying to tell you, child," the Grand Cleric said with a smile. "It could happen today, but it might not happen at all. You don't know when or what this mage has planned. Nobody knows the future."

"I know this person. I know what she has done. I'm telling you what you should do, because it's your only option," Rhianna continued speaking in a rage. "Evacuate the Chantry, and –"

"And go where? How do you know the Gallows isn't as dangerous for all of us right now?" the Grand Cleric shook her head. "I will order the Templars to arrest this Velanna. I will not be driven away from my home. I'm sorry, but I must tend to the morning prayers."

The Grand Cleric gave Rhianna a nod and calmly walked up the staircase to a group of Chantry priests. Anders shook his head as he watched her go.

"You've done what you could, love," he whispered. "Short of carrying her on your back, there is nothing left for you to do."

"I'll have to get to Velanna myself, then," Rhianna said darkly. "I'll take her to the Gallows if it's the last thing I do! While she is free, there is a chance for innocents to die and I won't let that happen!"

…

"What are you doing here, Bodahn?" Varric asked with a smile on his face. "Is Hawke having another drinking party?"

"Free drinks?" Isabela interrupted before Bodahn had a chance to speak. She slipped onto the chair nearest Varric with a smirk. "I can live with that!"

"No, Messeres," Bodahn started to protest, shaking his head vehemently. "There is no drinking party!"

"A drinking party?" Fenris echoed as he arrived at Varric's table. "I thought we were going to play Diamondback today…" The white-haired elf's eyebrows flew upwards in surprise just as Merrill and Velanna made their way to the now nearly full table in Varric's suite.

"A party?" Merrill clapped her hands eagerly. "I love parties!"

Velanna was actually smiling at Merrill's comment as she sat at the table.

"There is NO party!" Bodahn managed to say again while mopping the sweat from his forehead with a cloth and the rest of his face for good measure. "I wish Messere Hawke were here to ask you all to keep quiet!"

"Aww, let him talk," Isabela crooned, flashing an encouraging smile at the poor exasperated dwarf.

"Thank you, Messere." There was a hint of relief in Bodahn's voice. He cleared his throat and hurriedly delivered his message. "Messere Hawke is heading to the Gallows. She wants to meet you all there. She needs your help, I believe."

"The Gallows?" Fenris mused out loud.

"I don't like the Gallows," Merrill said sadly.

"Nobody does, Kitten," Isabela observed.

"We'd best get to the Gallows soon if we want to find out what's happening," Varric said to them all.

"You're going to the Gallows?" Sebastian asked cluelessly as he leaned against the door frame, having just arrived. Behind him, Aveline stood and surveyed the group, oblivious to what was happening as well.

"Just follow us, Choir Boy. We don't know why we're going there either!" Varric commented with a grin.

"I'll catch up," Velanna said to Merrill. "There is something I need to do first."

Aveline narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Velanna. There was a smirk on her face and she didn't like it at all. Even though her instinct told her to follow the blond elven mage, she shook her head and decided to follow Varric with a sigh.

A feeling of uneasiness gripped her as they boarded the ferry boat and approached the Gallows, which loomed up before them through the afternoon mist. She hoped it was just a feeling she could shrug off, but as time progressed the feeling grew.

Aveline did not know that she would soon regret her decision to follow Varric for the rest of her life.

…

"Ah! You're here, thank the Maker," Rhianna said cheerfully as she met her group at the docks. "We're going to the First Enchanter's office. The mage who came looking for me at the estate said that Orsino and Meredith were at each other's throats."

"Nothing new there," Anders muttered.

"Champion!" Another mage called out as soon as they all arrived at the Courtyard. "I fear you are too late! Both the First Enchanter and the Knight-Commander are gone! They just left a few minutes ago!"

"They're gone? What do you mean? Where were they going?" a confused Hawke asked the mage.

"I don't rightly know, Champion," the mage replied respectfully. "But the First Enchanter said he wanted to talk to the Grand Cleric. When he stormed off, the Knight-Commander was right behind him."

Anders groaned. "Of course! Let's all return to the boats that will take us back to the Docks! Things never go smoothly around here."

…

The Knight-Commander and First Enchanter Orsino were at it all right. For the briefest of moments Anders wondered if they were a couple, then shook his head as if clearing his thoughts. Rhianna tried to stop the fight, but it quickly escalated, with Orsino bellowing that he was going to speak to the Grand Cleric, who would undoubtedly put a stop to all this.

And that's when it happened. One moment, the world still seemed to make a little bit of sense, because both the First Enchanter and the Knight-Commander were always bickering, and the next Velanna – who had arrived quietly while the Knight-Commander and Orsino were arguing – strode right up to where they were both standing, skin and eyes openly glowing blue as she faced them, her staff grasped tightly in her hand.

"The Grand Cleric cannot help you!" Justice-Velanna bellowed, slamming her staff forcibly onto the stone ground.

"Explain yourself, mage!" the Knight-Commander spat out.

The glowing mage actually smiled as she stood directly in front of Meredith. "You will not continue to abuse mages and elves. I spit on your Chantry! I spit on your Templars! I spit on the Grand Cleric and your foul Maker! I spit on everything you do!"

Justice-Velanna's scream reached a high pitch that made the Knight-Commander take several steps back, while Rhianna stood frozen in horror right beside Meredith. She watched Velanna bring her staff down with such a force, it actually cracked the cobblestone it hit.

A bright, pinkish red light shot up to the heavens from the Chantry and there was a rumbling noise that made the building in the distance tremble as the light got brighter. Then there was a terrible loud bang and the whole building exploded right before their eyes, sending rubble flying in all directions.

Anders's jaw nearly hit the floor. The statues that surrounded the Chantry were gone. The Chantry itself was gone. Turning, he realized with dismay that Rhianna was unsheathing her daggers and stepping forward to face Justice-Velanna.

"Justice!" Rhianna yelled, adopting a defensive pose as she faced the abomination. "You're going back to the Fade today!"

"There is no Justice in your world, mortal! I am VENGEANCE!" the abomination boomed as it glowed brighter than it ever had before. "Are you prepared to die?"

…

A/N: I know it's a cliffhanger, I've already written the next chapter, so it's all a matter of posting it in a few days! (When the world around me has calmed down a little, haha!) :D