Fenris heaved the unconscious Hawke onto level ground and dragged her several feet away for good measure, while Donnic pulled his wife to safety and embraced her.

With Hawke cradled in his arms, he looked over her injuries. She looked awful. Her face had swollen almost beyond recognition, patchworked with red scrapes and dark bruises. She was covered from head to toe in dirt and blood, and her clothes were torn and hanging loose in several places. There was an audible whine to her breathing, which sounded worryingly labored. Her left arm was bent oddly and most likely broken, and her right leg had been badly bitten by some sort of beast, which was already creating a pool of blood on the stone.

He wanted to embrace her, to touch her, to confirm that she was alive and real. But there was no good place to touch her that would not create more pain, and he had to restrain himself. Instead he simply said her name over and over, "Sadie.. Sadie.. Sadie.."

She shivered, and her skin felt cold and clammy when he took her hand.

Donnic was pressing something at him - it was the cape from his guardsman's uniform. Together they tucked it around her.

"She needs water," Fenris said, pointing to Merrill's rucksack.

It took all three of them to wake her, so that she could drink. After a few swallows she opened an eye, the one that was not swollen shut, and looked at Fenris curiously.

Aveline stroked her hair, trying to keep her awake. "Hawke? Hawke, where does it hurt? Can you move?"

She rasped out a short response - it hurt everywhere, her arm was broken. It looked like a lot more than that was broken. She looked broken everywhere.

Her eye focused on Fenris suddenly, and seemed to recognize him. "Hey," she whispered. "I made it."

It was a shame she couldn't see him clearly, she would have noticed the tears that stood in his eyes when he promised to take her home.

Fenris could not be persuaded to let go of her. He lifted her up and carried her out of the Bone Pit, into the sunlight. Whenever Aveline or Donnic attempted to take over his burden, he only held her closer and glared at them wildly.

He hadn't anything to say for the entire journey back to Kirkwall. He needed all of his remaining strength to hold her steady and return her to safety.

Hawke slept lightly, curled against him. She did not dream, but she would later remember the journey as a series of sensations: the warm late afternoon sun caressing her face, the effort required to force air in and out of her suffering lungs, the careful way she was carried so not to jostle her wounds. A few times she opened her one eye and recognized Fenris holding her, looking straight ahead in grim determination, and remembered that she was safe now, and went back to sleep.

As they approached the city gates, Fenris slowed and sank to one knee.

This time he allowed Donnic to take Hawke from his arms. "Go, hurry," he told him.

Hawke whimpered as she left his arms. Donnic lifted her as gently as he could, but she stirred and fretted before settling onto his shoulder.

The elf remained kneeling in the dust, panting, when Aveline bent down with a worried expression. "Fenris, you need rest. You're not well."

"I am fine... Just see to Hawke," he forced out.

She looked torn. "You won't disappear on us, right? I know you don't like Anders, but you need healing almost as much as she does."

"I need only my bed, nothing more."

"Don't be an idiot. You're coming to the clinic. I will absolutely punch you out and carry you myself if I have to."

"I know you will." Fenris actually laughed a little.

"Drink this."

He accepted her flask and waved them away. "I will go where she goes. Take her to the healer... I shall catch up with you."

Donnic took him at his word and walked through the gates, intent on bringing Hawke to Darktown as fast as possible. Aveline followed watchfully. The descent into the undercity was uneventful and silent.

The lantern at the clinic was not lit, as it had not been lit even once in day or night since Hawke had disappeared into the Bone Pit. Still Aveline and Donnic believed Anders to be inside, primarily because he had not been anywhere else in all this time. In all likelihood he had locked himself away to mourn his loss.

Aveline, in no mood for propriety, began pounding on the door.

The clinic remained silent. But Aveline firmly believed there was someone inside. "I'll break this door down if I have to!" she yelled.

The healer is not seeing anyone today, a rumbling voice announced from beyond the door.

"It's an emergency!" Donnic shouted, as Aveline continued to bang at the door. "It's Hawke! She's alive!"

At this there sounded a rattling of chains and locks, and the door opened.

Justice stepped through. The body he occupied had grown even more pallid and gaunt than usual, and even the Fade spirit's light seemed muted within it.

"Do not be foolish. The woman is dead."

"She isn't," Aveline snapped. She was inexplicably angry with him, maybe with herself as well. "We were wrong."

Justice looked past her and saw Hawke cradled in Donnic's arms.

"Oh." Justice said, with a new note of surprise. "Anders has... gone away. A moment."

He stood perfectly still then, searching somewhere for the spirit of his host.

"Anders..." Hawke moaned, the first thing she had said since they left the Bone Pit.

At the sound of her voice, the blue light of Justice died away and Anders came back from whatever distant land he had retreated to. He blinked in confusion, as if awaking from a very long sleep.

"Oh my darling," he cried, rushing to her side. He showered her with kisses as she shifted uncomfortably.

"She needs healing," Aveline said irritably. "Kiss her later."

"Of course, of course." Anders took his lover from Donnic's arms and carried her inside, speaking to her quietly.

Fenris arrived at the clinic only minutes behind them and found the door open wide, excited voices coming from within. He stepped just inside and leaned against the door to catch his breath.

Hawke laid upon one of the clinic beds, awake and alert once more, as Anders held her hands and spoke loving words into her ear. She smiled at her partner weakly.

When Fenris saw the glow between them that was the beginning of the mage's healing magic, he was finally flooded with relief. Now he knew she would be well. He turned away, his work completed, and stumbled to a pallet in the corner, laid himself down, and passed out.