"Hawke there is trouble in front of the Keep. Orsino and Meredith are at it again." Aveline's voice rang through her home and Leigh slide down the banister of her stairs. Anders thankfully was not home to hear this. He had just recently been pulled back in to help the Mage Underground again. It had been three years since the fight with the Arishok and the city was on the verge of another war. This time between mage and Templar. With the Viscount dead Meredith stepped into the vacuum of power like a over eager child. Her policies were crushing the mages and the mages were now fighting back.

"That bitch should just step down and let someone else govern over Kirkwall."

"She is trying to keep the peace, but the mages are making it difficult." Leigh felt a bit of shock go through her hearing the familiar lilt that came from the foyer doorway. There stood Sebastian Vael in all his splendor. They had been avoiding each other for a long time. She talked to him when she would go make her secret visits with her sister in the Chantry. Cullen's and his doing for which she was grateful. Leigh had not seen him much over the last few years. He came with them for some of their adventures, but he never came to see her at the estate anymore. Not since she had stood between him and Justice. The kiss they had shared weeks later was never spoke of as promised, but their was still tension from it between them. Recently he had traveled to Starkhaven to gather support, Fenris had gone with him at her request so the prince had someone watching his back.

"Sebastian, what a pleasant surprise." She went up to him and gave him a friendly hug. "I wasn't expecting you back for another week."

"Things went better than planned. My allies are falling into place. Hopefully it won't be long."

"I'm glad it is going well for you. I wish it would do so here."

"We should hurry Hawke, before it gets ugly. Even the nobles are out there. I fear no good will come of this." Leigh nodded and followed the Captain of the Guard out to the square. Sebastian fell in step next to her. He watched her expression as it turned into a mask of annoyance. He could hear the raised voices up ahead of them. Orsino was spouting his views as Meredith countered them. Orsino's face lite up when he saw Leigh approaching.

"And here is the Champion of Kirkwall. I would like to see what is her thoughts on all this. Or do you fear what she will say?"

"Leave the Champion out of this Orsino. She has no opinion on this matter." Meredith's glare tried to burn into Leigh. It was like she was daring her to speak. Leigh smiled at Orsino, but her face turned hard when she turned to the Knight Commander.

"I can speak for myself Knight Commander."

"And what are your thoughts in all this?"

"I think you have gone to far Meredith. The more you push the mages the more trouble this city will have. You need to step down before we have another war on our hands. I for one would rather not see that."

"And you think the mages spewing their views is helping the matter. Chantry Laws are clear in this matter. Magic is to serve man not rule him." Leigh began to laugh at the Templar's words.

"Most mages I have met just want to be able to stay with their families instead of being locked in a prison. You rip them from their mother's arms and expect them to stop being a person, to what serve the very people who will not give them that right?"

"It is clear where you stand Champion, but you do not understand the danger of these people."

"I do understand full well what happens when a mage falls to blood magic, but I wonder how many would turn to it if they had the same freedoms that are given to the rest of us? They are no different from any of us." Meredith was speechless. She had always thought that Leigh Hawke was nothing but a low class refugee from backwater Ferelden. She did not expect a well spoken, well educated woman to be inside this woman. "You hear dark rumors here in the city of both sides. If you speak of what is to be feared all the time you diminish what good is being done by both sides." The crowd parted as the Grand Cleric walked her way to the debtors.

"My, my what a commotion you all are making. Orsino do you think this wise?"

"I...no Your Grace." He bowed and stepped back.

"Please everyone return to your homes. This will not be decided today." The older woman turned to the fully armored Templars. "Young men please escort the First Enchanter back to the Gallows. Gently if you please."

"But he deserves to be clapped in irons for trying to start a riot." Elthina shook her head sadly at the Knight Commander.

"You are not helping matters either my dear with your temper, now go back to the Gallows and calm down like a good girl." Inside Leigh was rolling with laughter, but she kept her face neutral as not to make the situation worse. Meredith stormed off as the last of the nobles scattered back to their homes. "Thank you for stepping in Champion, this city has had enough trouble."

"I agree Your Grace. Is there nothing you can do to stop this?"

"You must think I hold more power than I do. I am just a servant of the Maker. I can only suggest and guide them." Leigh bowed and excused herself from the conversation. She thought the Grand Cleric was a kind woman, but her refusal to make Meredith take her choke hold off the city was not helping. She sighed and wondered how long it will take for the city to implode. She felt arms wrap around her and a soft kiss landed on her temple. Leigh twisted her torso and saw the face of her lover smiling down on her.

"I heard you dress down the Knight Commander. She looked like she was ready to burst into flames."

"I behaved myself thank you. I could have laid into her much more, but it is like talking to a wall. She will not listen." Out of the corner of her eye Leigh saw Sebastian with his fists clenched as he watched them together. "I am glad you are home."

"Hm, and why is that?"

"I have missed you the last few nights, well I should say half the nights."

"Sorry love, there is a lot in the clinic for me to do." She knew it was code for let's not talk about it here. "I have no patients right now so I am all yours for a few days."

"All mine huh? I will just have to find something for you to do to keep you out of trouble." He smiled warmly at her before kissing her deeply. Anders kept his eyes open and he winked at Sebastian. He enjoyed making the prince jealous, but more over he liked to see him angry.

"Hawke when you have a moment I would like to speak to you at the Chantry, alone if at all possible. I must take my leave, I hope to see you soon." She swore she saw steam coming out of Sebastian's ears as he walked away. Aveline cleared her throat and shook her head.

"If he'd just scream it from the rooftops he would be less obvious."

"Obvious about what?"

"Hawke you can't tell me you haven't noticed that Sebastian can not take his eyes off you and when ever your with Anders he excuses himself from the group. I think he is in love with you." Anders scowled at the still retreating form of the exiled prince. "Please do not throw a fireball or lightning at him. I don't need that mess to try to hid."

"He will behave Aveline. I know Sebastian thinks of me as more than a friend, but I don't see him as anymore than a brother of sorts. He knows how I feel about Anders and will not push the fact."

"Just watch yourself and Anders. Sebastian is very invested in the Chantry and he knows full well what Anders is. I don't want to see any of my friends hurt."

"I will Aveline. I don't want to see anyone hurt either."

"I need to get my morning reports done. I will see you later."

"Bye Aveline. So my love, do I really have you for a few days all to myself?"

"Yes, and I could think of a few ways to spend it." Leigh jumped up and wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck. "I see you are on the same way of thinking I am."

"Great minds think alike." She whispered in his ear. "I have missed you. I know you said don't ask, but is everything alright?"

"It is becoming more difficult to get some people out of there. We are having to use different methods to achieve our goals."

"I wish I could help you, but I understand why you don't want me to. I just worry one time I will wake up alone and it will be forever." Anders rubbed the bridge of his nose trying to alleviate the dull ache in his head. He hated seeing her worry about him like this. He hated even more leaving their bed in the middle of the night while she still slept. She never complained or asked too many questions, but he knew it was weighing heavily on her. He could not let her get involved with his plan. Her hands would be clean of any wrong doing on his part. This was something Justice and he agreed on. Neither Leigh nor Pash would have anything to do with what they were planning should the worst happen. He felt her palm lay flat on his forehead and a small wave of magic surged into his skin. The ache vanished immediately, he could see the slight red tint to her eyes, but there was no other sign of Pash to be seen. They had learned to work in harmony together unlike he and Justice. For a while it had gotten better. Pash was able to temper Justice for the better part of the last three years. It was only when they came across a group of young mages who had been beaten and left to rot by some Templars about four months ago, had Anders anger spurred Justice to become Vengeance once more.

"You need to be careful doing that out in public Leigh. What if someone saw?"

"No one saw I made sure and you needed it. Your getting those circles under your eyes again and you are not eating enough. Please don't throw yourself back into this so much that I lose you to it."

"I am trying not to. How about I cook tonight and we have a night in to ourselves? We could send everyone out for the night and it will just be you and me."

"I would like that, but if you try to run off tonight and play hero to the MU, I swear I will bolt your feet to the floor." Her playful smirk had just enough hint of that she meant her words. Anders threw his hands up in surrender before sweeping her off her feet and heading for their home. He was not sure how much time he had left with Leigh, but he would make it count when he could. He owed her so much more than that, but for now this was all he could give. His heart ached every time he looked at her and he had to remind himself she was the reason he was fighting. She was the reason he had to do what he was planning. Anders swore to the Maker he was not going to lose her to the Templars and he meant to keep that promise even if it meant his death.

OoO

Anders had returned home after being away for a few days to find Leigh was not there. It was the middle of the night and she was still not home. Fear and panic set in as he went to wake Bodahn to find out if he knew where she had went. He found the dwarf in his room, it took all his will power not to violently shake the poor man awake.

"Bodahn wake up!" The dwarf opened his bleary eyes and blinked a few times trying to focus.

"Master Anders?"

"Sorry to wake you, but do you know where Hawke is?" Bodahn still trying to wake up thought for a moment then went out to get the note for Anders that Leigh had left.

"A woman asked Serah Hawke to find her brother. She left late this afternoon for the coast. She told me to give you this letter should you return and she was not here."

"Thank you." Anders read the note and his heart jumped up into his throat.

Hello love,

I was approached by a woman named Delilah Howe. She has asked me to find her brother Nathaniel. He was last seen in the Deep Roads where Bartrand left us to die. I took Varric, Fenris and Merrill with me. I hope to be back as soon as I can. I asked Aveline and Isabela to keep a look out for you. I hate leaving you, but this woman was very worried about her brother. Stay safe my love.

Love always,

Leigh

"Maker what was she thinking? How long ago did you say she left?"

"A few hours before sunset messere."

"If Aveline or Isabela comes to check if I am back let them know I went after Hawke. She has no idea what she is getting herself into." The dwarf nodded and helped Anders pack a bag for the trek he was going to make. He threw Leigh's old rogue cloak over his shoulders and pulled up the hood over his head to hide who he was. He hoped some of her lessons in stealth paid off so he would not be caught by any unsavory characters. "Take care of the estate while we are gone."

"Of course Master Anders, you take care of yourself out on the road. Night is not a safe time to travel alone."

"Neither is traveling in the Deep Roads when you are not a Grey Warden, but I must go after her." He ran out into the darkness and headed for the coast as fast as his legs would carry him. "How could she be so foolish?" "Darkspawn are far to dangerous for her to be fighting even if she finds Nathaniel. She is not a Warden. It was sure luck that the Taint did not take her the last time she was down there." "You are not helping Justice. I am worried enough. What in the name of the Void is Nate doing here?" "Maybe he is looking for us." "I hope not I really don't want what happened to Rolen to happen to him. I always liked Nate, but I will not go back to the bloody Wardens. Not when I have to protect Leigh and make sure the Templars never lay a hand on her." "We will never let that happen. She is too important to the future of mages." "I was more thinking the reason is because I love her and it would destroy me if I lose her." "I know my friend." It was times like these he was glad the Warden Commander had them do forced runs to bring up their stamina. He was at least a half a day behind them and had to make up ground. He hoped he caught up to them before they went underground or he might never find them.

OoO

"Hawke behind you!" Leigh rolled to her left and barely dodged the charging ogre. They had found Nathaniel Howe, but were now surrounded by a army of darkspawn. The ogre crashed into the wall right behind her. She scrambled to get some breathing room between her and the monster.

"Varric cover me, I have to bring that bastard down before it kills us all." She heard the thunk of Bianca being reloaded and then saw the hurlocks that flanked her fall with arrows in their heads. One of the arrows belonged to the Warden she had promised to find the other being from Varric. Leigh somersaulted between the ogre's legs and lashed out with her daggers cutting into the back of his knees. It fell forward and she jumped on it's back. She brought her blades across it's throat and watched the black ichor splash on the stone floor. With a shutter the ogre died and Leigh sprinted to help Merrill who was being overrun by darkspawn.

"Duck Daisy!" The elf fell to the floor as a hail of arrows rained down on the mob surrounding her. She felt someone pull to her feet making her run with them. She and Leigh hid behind a pillar trying to catch their breath.

"By the Creators there is no end to them."

"We need to get over to the men and stay together. Then they can't pick us off one by one." Leigh looked around the pillar and saw an opening. "We need to move. Now!" Leigh pushed Merrill in front of her and covered her as she ran. The rogue stopped and fought two darkspawn that tried to grab both women. Merrill made it to the others, before turning and seeing Leigh was not behind her.

"Hawke run!" Leigh barely heard Merrill over the growls of the hurlocks that were surrounding her. With her escape route cut off Leigh stood her ground. The ground rumbled beneath her feet hailing the appearance of two more ogres.

"Shit! This is not good." She saw a dark figure running full bore at her. Leigh didn't get anytime to react as she was knocked out of the path of the orges. The dark figure caught the brunt of the hit from one of them only to be tramped by the other. Leigh rolled to her feet to find herself surrounded again. She looked over to her friends and saw they too were being overwhelmed. "Maker save us."

"Hey you ugly blighters why don't you come over here and get a taste of ole Ogrhen." A dwarf in full armor stood a few yards from where Leigh was fighting for her life.

"Sigrun help the rogue, Ogrhen take down the ogre on the left I'll take the one on the right. Velanna get them on their feet if they're injured." Leigh could tell the one barking orders was a woman, but her face was covered by her hood. The female dwarf stood back to back with Leigh and they slashed their way out of the squad of darkspawn that accosted them. Once they were free Leigh went to find the figure that had been trampled by the ogres. She found the body back near the stairs at the far end of the hall. The dark cloak wrapped around the body made her pause.

"That's my old cloak...No please tell me he didn't." Leigh fell to her knees and removed the hood to reveal Anders face. "No, no...Anders wake up. You can't do this to me." She saw his body was severely broken and he was bleeding from his nose and mouth. "He is still breathing, okay we can do this. You have to stay with me, do you hear me Anders you don't get to leave me behind. You keep fighting." A hand on her shoulder made her whip around ready to fight.

"Wait, I am here to help. I am a healer."

"Help him please, I can't..." Velanna did not look at the face of the man she was healing she just got right down to it. Leigh handed her what lyrium potions she had to keep the magic flowing.

"Shit! Hawke, Broody is down!" Leigh left the elf warden to get her other fallen friend.

"Varric, Merrill this way." She met them half way and helped Merrill drag Fenris over to the healer. Velanna stood up and faced Leigh.

"He is too far gone for me to help him. If we had our other healer still with us he could have saved him, but he has been gone for years. Even if I could save him I can feel the taint in his blood. To heal him would bring him nothing but suffering" Varric looked down at the fallen man and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He opened his mouth, but Leigh cut him off.

"Thank you for your help. My friend here can heal. I think your fellows need you more than we do." Velanna nodded and ran back the other Wardens. "Merrill, Anders taught you how to heal right?"

"Yes, but I am not that good at it. His injuries are far too grave. I would end up killing him."

"I want you to help Fenris his injuries are not life threatening, but we need him up because I am not sure how many more of those things are out there." Leigh turned back to Anders' prone form and rested her hands on his chest. His breathing was becoming more shallow. "Varric if you put what I am about to do in your stories about me I swear I will make this look like a bloody tea party." Her hands began to glow with healing magic and Varric's jaw dropped to the floor.

"Maker's breath Hawke how...?"

"Bethany wasn't the only one of us kids born a mage. I just hid it better." Her eyes closed in concentration, she could feel the broken bones and torn muscle knitting back together as she poured more of her mana into him. It had taken the better part of a year to learn how to even tap into healing for her, but once it took she was almost on par with Anders. In her mind's eye she could see the intricate workings of his organs and how to piece them back to being whole and functional again. Under her hands his chest started to rise and fall normally. The blood that had been seeping from his nose and mouth ceased and retreated back where it belonged. Once she knew he was completely healed she let herself sit back and caught her breath. Joy soared in her heart when his eyes fluttered open and fell on her. "Welcome back to the world of the living." He sat up slowly, groaning and rubbing his head

"What happened?"

"You got trampled by not one, but two ogres you twit. What in the name of Andraste were you thinking pulling a stunt like that?" His head cleared enough for him to remember that he had come here to help her and that he had pushed her out of the path of said ogres.

"I was trying to save you. Remember I am the Grey Warden, it is what we do."

"I am also a rogue which means I was waiting til they were committed to charging me before I vanish in a puff of smoke and stab them from behind." Both of them glared at the other for a few seconds before she threw herself at him and kissed him fiercely.

"If this is the reaction I get for being stupid, I think I will be stupid more often." The sound of a ogre's death roar made Anders sit up more and look over Leigh's shoulder. He blood froze in his veins when he saw his old comrades standing over the dead monster. "Andraste's tits what are they doing here?"

"I guess the same thing I was. They just seem to show up right after the ogres tapped danced on your head." The look of fear in his eyes made Leigh worry. "Keep the hood up and try not to draw attention to yourself. I can see they are the last people you want to know you are here and I don't want to have to fight them to keep them from taking you."

"Blondie aren't these suppose to be friends of yours?"

"In another life yes they were, but...I killed any chance of them trusting me ever again." Varric's eye brow arched up, but he let it go. Now was not the time for stories. "Shit, more darkspawn."

"Can you get Fenris to his feet it looks like we are going to need the help." He turned and went to work rousting the elf. Leigh stood up when she felt all the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention. She could feel dark magic hiding somewhere on the far side of the hall. Out of the settling dusk could be seen five emissaries floating towards the battered Wardens. She heard Nathaniel shout out a warning.

"Emissaries in the clear!" All the Wardens readied their weapons, but most looked to spent to keep up the fight. Out in the middle of the hall Leigh spotted Anders' staff and his pack. Without thinking she ran for it, dodging spells as she went. Anders' panicked yells echoed off the wall of the chamber, but she did not slow. Leigh slide and picked up the staff placing herself between the darkspawn and the Wardens. She stood defiantly staff in hand and readied her spell.

The Warden Commander watched the rogue run out in front of her before she could give her orders to her fellow wardens. "What the hell does she think she is doing? She is going to get herself killed. Nate cover me I need to go help her."

"On it Raven." Drawing her daggers she ran full speed to aid the other rogue she narrowly missed yet another stampeding ogre. It cut off her path to Leigh as it turned and tried to get it's rotting hands on Raven. "Commander more in coming"

"By the blood of the Maker there is no end to them. Fall back and find cover. Now!" Raven gritted her teeth and prepared to start the deadly dance with the behemoth in her way. "I might just have to break my promise to you Alistair. I don't know how we are going to survive this one." A sharp whistle sounded of the walls getting everyone's attention. The Wardens fell back to where Leigh's friends were hiding trying desperately to catch their breaths before the next wave overran them.

"Wait I thought she was a rogue, how is she doing that?" None of Leigh's friends decided to answer. Anders pulled the hood down lower on his face to keep from being seen. He wished he had Leigh's way of becoming invisible, especially when Velanna saw he was standing there. "And how are you on your feet? Your injuries were very severe." Velanna looked thoroughly confused to see Anders up and alive.

"I...My friend here is a pretty good healer." He dropped the octave of his voice to hide who he was.

"She did you no favors, you have the darkspawn taint running through your veins." Nathaniel cleared his throat to stop Velanna from being any blunter. "What? You have seen what the taint does when you are not a Warden. It would be kinder just to slit his throat right now."

"Velanna, enough. We might not make it out of here as it is. If he starts to turn we will end it, but we need as many hands as we can get right now." Anders shifted his weight nervously hoping they would drop the subject.

"What is the Commander doing out there?"

"What she does best killing darkspawn. It is like watching a master painter paint, she does it so well." Sigrun gave a grim smile to her fellows. "Though I think that girl out there would give her a run for her sovereigns. Doesn't she remind you of someone?"

"Yes she does." A strange expression came over Nathaniel's face. "Even that staff looks like his, but Anders is gone Sigrun. He is not coming back."

"I...I know. Justice too." He solemnly nodded and continued to watch the fight. Leigh was holding her own against the five emissaries as Raven slowly took out the ogre piece by piece. Leigh stamped the ground with Ander's staff and the whole place began to shake violently. It got the darkspawn mages' attention. She swung the staff in a wide arch and connected with the closest one to her. She hit it with such force that it cracked the creature's neck. The others threw spells at her, but could not hit their mark. Leigh was too evasive.

"Merrill I need your staff."

"Why?"

"I need to help her. I can feel more of them coming." He dropped his voice on the last part so the other Wardens did not hear.

"Alright, but be careful."

"I will and get Fenris on his feet. We will need his sword soon." Merrill handed him her staff and gave him one last worried look. He raced out of the hiding place and first blasted the half dead ogre with a freezing spell. He knew the Warden fighting it would be able to finish the monster off. It did not take him long to get to her side. She threw him his staff and took Merrill's in return. "Having fun dear?"

"Loads." She linked her arm in his and pulled him out of the way of a burst of lightning. "Where are they all coming from?"

"With all the Wardens here it is like a beacon to them. We can feel their presence and in turn they know where we are too."

"We need to end this before one of us gets killed." Anders bent almost backwards to avoid being seared by a fireball, but it caught the cloak he was wearing. He tried to beat the flames out and only succeeded in spreading them. Leigh cut the tie that held it on him and pulled it off. "Cat's out of the bag now. Just fight, we will deal with your old friends later, if we survived that is."

Raven shattered the ogre after the hooded mage shot it with ice. She receded back to the others to regroup. Every part of her body ached, it had been too long since she had fought like this. Life at court had not given her much time to hone her skills. Also the fact she was now the mother of a very energetic little boy made being here all the more difficult. She never would have agreed to this if it had been anyone else but Nathaniel she would have stayed home. She was a Warden that would never change, but her loyalty was to the people she conscripted. They were as much her family as her original companions from the Blight.

"We need to get out of here and now."

"We can't they are blocking the exit with a barrier. The only way we could is..." Nathaniel's voice died when he saw a person he never thought he would ever see again. "Anders?" Raven's turned her head back to the fight that still was taking place. The sight of the man they all had thought dead struck her speechless. Nathaniel wasted no time after seeing his old friend fighting for his life to run out of cover and start shooting at the emissaries. The other Wardens followed right behind him. Raven and Sigrun went to the left, both throwing smoke grenades to confuse their prey. Ogrhen charged head on swinging his ax and slicing the darkspawn in half. Velanna hung back throwing heal spells when needed. Varric stood guard while Merrill tried to wake Fenris. The dwarf watched the battle unfold before him. Hawke and Anders almost looked like they were dancing together. They moved as one never missing a beat, he would cast a freezing spell and she would follow with a stonefist to shatter whomever he froze. It would make for one hell of a story if Hawke had not threatened him with death to keep her secret. Her safety was his utmost concern. Without Leigh their merry little band of misfits would crumble and Varric much liked having his dysfunctional family in tact.

"Leigh we need to take out the one that is staying in the back. He is the one that made the barriers."

"Watch my back. I think it is time to show them what a real mage can do." Leigh took a deep breath and focused her mana. "Fire or lightning?" "You have always liked fire Leigh, I would say stick with what works." "Fire it is then." Fire wreathed her hand and her eyes glowed red. Her target snarled at her and she just smiled. "This ends now!" Her hand rose in the air and a fire storm erupted over the last of the darkspawn's heads. The cavern filled with their dying shrieks and the smell of rotten burnt flesh. The sounds and the smell would be enough to haunt Leigh's dreams for the rest of her life. When the flames subsided having no more fuel to burn Anders turned to face his fellow Wardens. Their faces were unreadable to Leigh and her fear of them taking him away or killing him made her put herself between him and them. Both sides stared at each other waiting for the other to speak or make a more. "Someone is coming Leigh and his thoughts are dark." "More darkspawn?" "No, much worse." "What is worse than darkspawn?" "A Templar."