Jennifer had returned to the hovel later in the afternoon. Leandra smiled in greeting as Jennifer walked to the side room, laying down for a quick nap.

She dreamed of home, the quaint house on a dead end street. Her entire family lived on that road. Her grandmother, a stern woman with kind eyes and a round body, cooking all her favorite breakfast meals. Her aunt, who worked hard to support her children, even though she hardly ever got to see them. Her sister, and even though their relationship was strained, she missed what they were starting to develop, and her mother, who also worked hard, but gave everything to her and her daughter.

She saw her mother cooking in the kitchen, the chicken on the roasting pan burnt to a crisp and tendrils of smoke wafting into the air. Jennifer laughed, mother was never a very good cook. She came forward as her mom burned her fingers on the pan. As she tried to help her mother to the sink, she reached for her hands and they passed through. Jennifer froze, she looked up at her mother who didn't even notice her. Tears welled in her eyes, I miss you so much. But I can't come home right now. I don't belong… here.

The dream shifted, Jennifer and her mother were yelling at one another. Not a dream, but memories?

'I hate you! Can't you understand? I can't deal with you! I can't deal with this!' her mother screamed at her, gesturing to the pentagram tattooed on her wrist. She held on fiercely to the ornately wooden bound book with the Norse rune carvings that read, Book of Spells. 'No daughter of mine would fall from the light, get out!'

Jennifer backpedaled into the wall, staring at her mother in horror. Her mother stepped forward and shoved Jennifer in the chest, 'I said, 'GET OUT!' Jennifer bolted out of the small house and down the road, tears streaming down her face. I don't belong here….

I don't belong here….

Jennifer woke up with a start on her palette and gasped. I don't belong there… Tears still fell from her eyes and she wiped at them furiously, she stood from the palette and quickly made her way to the door, ignoring Leandra's questioning as she raced outside. Her steps carried her quickly, her mind reeling. Her mother was more understanding now, but…. She made it perfectly clear I didn't belong.

Tears anew dripped down her cheeks as she ran through Lowtown to the steps that led to the lift that would carry her down to Darktown. She raced through the people unbothered by what she trodden through. She tripped over a loose board and fell hard on her hands. She gritted her teeth, a shard of metal protruding from her hand. Well that was dumb… She sniffed warily and made her way to Anders clinic, albeit more slowly.

Anders was treating a small child, his hands hovering above her leg, a sickly greenish tint coloring around the cut that marred her thigh. The girl was frightened. She looked at Anders cautiously, but he only smiled in return as his hands glowed green and blue. The girl whimpered in fright and hid her face in her mother's skirt. Anders' smile brightened as he lifted one hand, the other continuing to heal. On his lifted hand a small bunny appeared, transparent and violet hued. The bunny pranced about on his hand as the girl looked at it in awe. She smiled brightly looking between Anders and the bunny as the wisp of magic bounded onto the girls shoulder causing the child to shriek with laughter and clap her hands. Sweat formed on the mages temple as he continued healing, the laughed again as the bunny made its way up into her hair. As Anders finished healing the leg he splinted it, keeping the leg stable for the remainder of healing. The bunny dissipated and the girl whined. Anders tapped her on the nose and handed a vial to her mother, "Be sure to apply this once a day, it'll keep the muscles strong while she stays off it."

The woman nodded and carried her daughter in her arms, the little girl waved enthusiastically at Anders, he smiled and waved before noticing Jennifer. He stepped up to her with a smiled before it faded abruptly. "Maker, what happened to your hand?"

Jennifer looked down as if just noticing the shard of metal in her hand. "I fell, while coming down here, I was distracted and didn't see the loose plank on the floor." She smiled at him apologetically, he was running low on mana, his face beaded with sweat and his eyes a bit dull. She quickly placed her hands behind her back, "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Anders looked at her skeptically. "You are talking to a man that is quite good at lying himself. Let me see."

Jennifer shook her head. "No, you need to rest. I'll be fine until you feel better, honest." As if to betray her, her hand twitched and she sucked in air through her teeth. Anders smirked. She huffed and held out her hand, blood had trickled down her fingers and she grumbled, "You can just pull it out and give me a bandage."

Anders looked at her and frowned, "No it needs to be cleaned, come on." He lead her by her hand, gently albeit firmly to a basin filled with remotely clean water. "Forgive me, but the sanitation is in short supply, it's purified, but it just seems dirty." He dipped the clean, threadbare rag into the water and dabbed around the shard. Jennifer squirmed in discomfort. "Sorry, I'll remove it once I was away the dirt. There are… substances down here that are better left on the ground."

Jennifer smiled brightly. "I've noticed."

Anders then led her to a dusty wooden table, she sat down and he kneeled in front of her, he turned her hand upwards. "It's going to hurt a bit."

Jennifer nodded and turned her head. It's just like a shot. It's just like a shot. She chanted to herself. She held her breath when Anders placed his fingers firmly around the shard, and she all but squealed when with a quirk jerk the shard was pulled free. Immediately Anders' warm hands surrounded hers and glowed green. Her skin came alive, prominent goose bumps dotting her arm and making her hair lift at the roots.

She bit her lip as the wound healed. "Now flex your hand." She did, carefully at first, then with more fervor finding no pain. Anders staggered up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Anders?" He smiled. "Here come sit, you've done too much."

"That's what I'm supposed to say." He smirked. As Jennifer fussed about him he watched her. She was so different, he thought, but perhaps that was because she was from another world? "I had a friend like you once." He smirked as she stopped to turn towards him. "Got in all kinds of trouble too, and dragged me along." She came to sit next to him, wiping her hands on her skirt. "I didn't think I would be doing that again."

"I'm sorry about yesterday. Being a mage is… a tender subject for me. A passionate one. Being made light about it, it was a shock to say the least."

Jennifer snickered. "You'd be surprised how I can put my foot in my mouth on a daily basis." She drummed her fingers on her thighs. "I must look kinda silly."

"You look… something. Bright, trustworthy, like even if you're mad and don't agree with me, you'll be honest without bias. Most bias." He shifted scuffing his boots on the dirt laden floor. "I just, I hope I didn't put a bad taste in your mouth when we first met."

"Definitely not! You looked sad, but that gave you an attractiveness that I like. I love the sexy tortured look." She blushed.

"No, please. Don't go there. It won't end well. I don't want to hurt you." He shifted again and stood, stepping away.

Jennifer stood as well, stepping up behind him. "Hurt me?"

"You have no idea who or what I am. Maybe a year ago, we could have. But not anymore, I'll break your heart. And that may kill me as sure as any Templar."

Jennifer smiled and stepped before him. She pulled him tightly against her, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly. "It's alright. But if we could… at least… remain friends? I like talking to you. And you listen. It's more than I can say for other people I have known."

Anders lifted his arms in surprise and he looked down at the top of her sandy brown hair. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her, placing a hand in her hair before lowering his cheek down to her forehead. "Of course, I believe I'll value your friendship as much as I do Hawke's."

AN: Hey guys, I know I'm spitting these out like stale gum, but drop me a review. I would love to hear your opinions.