Orsino bristled as he stood by the door, letting Bethany take his hands to calm him. They watched Anders pull at the ether and revive Hawke once more. They were in guest chambers at the viscount's keep, awaiting a litter to carry Kirkwall's new Champion home.

"You've got to keep your eyes open," he whispered, the light in his eyes fading as he touched Hawke's cheek.

"I'd rather not," Hawke murmured, her head rolling sideways. One of her eyes had gone red from burst vessels. "Sleep now, talk later."

"Come on," he whispered, holding her head to force a vial to her lips. "Drink."

"Please yes," she croaked, "A drink." She gulped the elixir, choking on its bitterness, "That's terrible…"

Orsino pulled away and lifted his hands, murmuring the needed words that roused a brilliant blue glyph about them, and Hawke rolled her head again, trying to pull away from the glass. Anders forced it down anyway, holding a hand over her mouth. The castle trembled, and the mages glanced about.

"What's happening," she choked, trying to move. Hawke keened and grit her teeth as a wound opened, eyes glazing as she went limp, her words in a quiet pant, "Fuck… fuck."

"I don't know," Anders replied, pulling away the last of her armour. "Just try not to move."

Orsino stepped back in the room, "They're rioting in the streets. It was foolish to think they'd let the qunari simply walk away."

"Please take care of her," Bethany said from the edge of the bed.

"I promise," Anders said, looking up to her with shadowed eyes. "I won't lose her."

Bethany slipped a vial of lyrium from her wrist and pressed it into his hand, leaning and kissing his brow before following Orsino out through the Keep.

"Bethany," Hawke croaked, her dilated eyes turning as her head rolled towards the door. "Don't… no, father."

"The First Enchanter will look out for her," Anders said before drinking the vial. He paused, licking the thick, glowing fluid from his lips before standing again. "Be still, my love."

There were tears in Hawkes delirious eyes as she lay on the bed watching the door, and she trembled as Anders wove the light of the Fade to piece her together. She exhaled a shuddered sigh as some of the rending pain abated, and she focused on him. Her eyes softened. "Anders."

"You've lost a lot of blood. And you almost lost your arm," he said, his voice straining as he took her hand. "We'll lock up in your house as soon as there's a lull in the fighting."

Hawke absently touched the sewn gash up her mid-section, "How did you save me? Where is everyone?"

"In the streets," he said, ripping a length of cloth. Holding the poultice to her arm, he bandaged it neatly. "And… Orsino helped. Meredith was there… I… she knows. I know she does."

Hawke whimpered as he moved her, a tear rolling down her cheek as she whimpered, "I can't… I can't anymore."

"I need to set your nose," he whispered hoarsely, brushing the hair from her face.

"Doesn't it suit me?" Hawke murmured in a lucid moment, her head resting against his hand. Her words fell low, a mash of gibberish together as her eyes fell closed again.

Hand frosted in cold, Anders put it to her cheek, "Open those eyes." When he was met with the blood-red gaze, he said, "Tell me about your father. I want to know all about him."

"I miss him," she whispered, and he wet a cloth to wipe the blood from her face as her eyes glistened again. "I miss them all so much."

"I know," he replied, moving her head so he could align her broken nose. Hawke cried out, cursing as he healed the break. "Your sister always said I reminded her of him – I should get to know him."

There was soft singing, and the dance of firelight was muted against her closed eyes. Hawke roused and turned her head to the sound. Orana was picking up the tray of food and noticed her movement.

"Mistress, it is good to see you awake," she said, waiting for her to sit up before setting it in her lap.

"You were singing," Hawke murmured, her throat rough. She took the offered water and drank it. "Where did you learn that?"

The young elf dropped her chin and took a step back, "Your mama used to sing it - I, I'm sorry!"

"No," Hawke's eyes softened as she said. "It was beautiful. It reminds me of her. Thank you." When Orana relaxed a little, she asked, "Where is everyone?"

"Master Anders has been in the streets with First Enchanter Orsino and Miss Bethany," she replied, knotting her hands together. "His grace has not left the door, so much is happening in the street."

"He's a good old dog," Hawke quietly said, laying her head back. She tested the movement of her arm and cringed, her shallow breath coupled with pain. There was only so much magic would do for it - time would do the rest.

"He protected us when the qunari came," Orana said, taking a chair by the fire as Hawke ate. "And Sandal."

"Yes, no doubt," Hawke said with a half-full mouth. The elf drifted away as she ate, and she shifted to get up, moving with a groan. Half-naked, she tore at the bandages around her midsection, drawing a shuddered breath. There was barking in the manor proper as she tried to get it off.

"What are you doing!" Bethany said from the door, hurrying to stop her.

"It itches like a bloody spider's nest," she hissed, shaking her sister's hand away. Her fingers hovered over the soiled bandages, a line of fluids and blood staining them from under her breast down to almost her hip.

"That's a good thing," Anders said as he leant against the wall, dark circles under his eyes. "It's no use, she'll get it off. And then I'll just have to drug her and put it back on."

"Sister," Bethany chided, frowning.

"Did you escape from the Circle just to lecture me?" Hawke asked, looking down as she pulled more of the bandages away with little decency. "How sweet of you!"

"No," she sighed, looking down. "We've almost cleared the streets."

"With less people dying, magic becomes an inconvenience again," Anders frowned, crossing his arms. "Meredith has not been happy about Orisno leading our kin through the streets."

"But he did it anyway," Bethany said with a faint smile.

"What is with you and that man," Hawke murmured as she eased back onto the bed, weakening as air hit the stitched gash beneath her breast. She closed her eyes.

"Nothing," Bethany said with a blush.

"Then let us get you out of the city," Hawke said, looking to her. "We have safe places you could go."

"And what about my phylactery?" Bethany asked, colour still on her cheeks. "I have been helping him. We've made a lot of progress."

"Not enough," Anders said, and he closed his eyes and stalked to where his healing kit was laid out. There was a crackle of glow about him, his voice fractured. "They imprison you yet and crush you beneath their thumb."

"Not pleasant," Hawke murmured, paling as she laid back, "Bleeding again."

"You wouldn't be if you hadn't taken them off!" Bethany said, making a sound of frustration. Anders hung his head, fingers tightening on the edge of Hawke's desk as he reigned himself in. They gathered up more salves and bandages, surrounding her on the bed.

"I've been in bed for days," Hawke murmured, closing her eyes to the pain. "I want to go out and stab something."

"I'm surprised, you left your arm alone," Anders said as he fetched water from the fire to clean the stitching and weeping wounds.

"I can't reach it."

"Good," he murmured, directing Bethany.

"I miss you," Hawke said, putting her hand on her sister's thigh.

"I know," Bethany said, pausing to run her hand through her sister's long hair. "I miss you too."

"Is he good to you?" Hawke asked, twitching in pain as a salve hissed and sealed the laceration down her torso where the arishok had impaled her.

Bethany blushed again, she said, "Yes."

"Be careful," Anders said, a distance in his eyes. "If the templars know, they will make your live unbearable."

"He knows," she replied under her breath, averting her eyes to lift Hawke and let him rewrap her. "We are very careful."

"My dear sister," Hawke murmured as she clenched her teeth. "Will you write me sordid letters with the details?"

"No!"

Anders almost smiled.

"Damn," Hawke murmured, before almost yelping as they continued to tend her wounds.