She had not slept in a while, though she did not mind. Her body had gotten used to the long nights awake, waiting for Hawke and Bethany, so Leandra could sleep. She had gotten used to traveling along the roads of Hightown, Lowtown, Darktown, and the Wounded Coast. Though she was 'Tranquil' a term that still confused her to this day, she was a reliable ally for Hawke, though Jennifer believed that was said more out of pity than her actually remaining useful in combat. She helped Anders regularly, making poultices from her world, and he said he was grateful. Though when he thought no one was looking, he seemed sad.

So when Bethany ran out of Gamlen's Hovel she did not fret about being alone in Darktown at night, she knew how to fight still, but most didn't think a Tranquil was worth their time. So when a boot scuffed across the ground she paid no heed. When a dark chuckle resonated through one of the darkened alcoves, she continued on. When man, in mages robes and slaver's cowl, stepped out of the darkness, she paused on the steps leading to Anders clinic.

She tilted her head back and screamed at the top of her lungs. The slaver jumped back startled for a moment, before he fisted his hand into Jennifer's hair and pulled her to the ground. Jennifer slid her foot forward, holding onto the slaver's hand that was wound tightly in her hair, and shifted forward so that the mage's hand was being pulled behind him, before lifting herself abruptly. The mage let go, but not before an arrow from one of the other slavers skimmed her back. The door to the clinic flew open and Bethany and Anders were already wielding powerful spells at the thugs. Jennifer kicked out with her foot at the mage's bend of the knee, causing the man to tumble down the stairs.

Already the foes fell, screaming as flames licked at their armor and skin. Jennifer ran towards Anders and ducked into the clinic. She did not bring her weapons, finding it unnecessary to do so. When the mage finally fell after his magical shield had dropped, Bethany turned with a scolding look upon Jennifer, her hands on her hips. "Maker's breath, Jennifer! What were you thinking?"

"I offered to come and retrieve you when you left excitedly." She said plainly.

"Maker…" She slapped a palm to her forehead and sighed. "Well come in."

Jennifer began walking further into the clinic when Anders placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look back at him, but he wasn't looking at her. He was inspecting the small graze between shoulder blades. "Not too deep." He smiled at her before running his hands along the graze, the skin knitting itself back together as his fingers passed. "All better."

Jennifer nodded her head in thanks before following Bethany into the back room of the clinic. Bethany was waiting sitting on the small cot Anders used for himself. A thread bare blanket sat crumpled at the foot of the bed and Bethany held the worn book in her lap. She patted an empty spot next to her and Jennifer sat down obediently next to a well-used pillow that had fades embroidery upon its surface and wording Jennifer didn't understand. Bethany turned a page in the book carefully. "You have found a treasure in this tome, Jennifer."

Jennifer peered over Bethany's traveling fingers at the cramped handwritten text. Notes. It seemed like a dialog of someone's thoughts and a reference to a scribe by the name of- "Pharamond." She exclaimed.

Anders stepped closer, retrieving his pillow and worrying the edges in thought. "I remember a friend of one of my mentor's, Wynne, he was a Tranquil, the Divine asked him to research the Rite. He found a way to reverse the process, but there were… complications."

"According to this, either a spirit of the fade of demon can touch the mind of the one Tranquil and reverse the Rite." When Jennifer sat still looking at the quickly scribbled notes Bethany slammed the book shut, dropped it onto the bed and grabbed Jennifer by her shoulders. "You can be free, don't you understand, Jennifer? We can make you how you were!" Bethany hugged Jennifer tightly, excitement and joy seeping from the embrace.

Jennifer blinked moving slightly away from Bethany. "I understand."

Bethany clapped her hands together and looked at Anders, then stood. "Anders, I know this is asking for so much, but if Justice could."

"Justice and I agree on this, though he and I are both worried about the ritual and what might happen in consequence." He gazed at Jennifer and moved to kneel before her. "But I will not do anything without your consent, no matter how much it hurts to see you like this." He gathered her hands in his and rubbed them gently. "It is your choice."

"I have no choices. I do not want to be a burden on all over you. And I do not like to see you all feel guilt over what has happened to me." Jennifer removed her hands from his and placed them in her lap. "I will allow this." She stated simply. "Though I believe the others would like to be warned before the ritual is started."

Bethany nodded and turned to Anders, "Then we should start immediately. There are many things we will have to prepare before we can begin. However, I believe we should start in the morning."

Jennifer nodded, "Yes I wish to rest if I may."

Anders and Bethany nodded and Jennifer yawned despite herself. Anders smiled, "You may stay here if you wish. There are other cots in the clinic, I will sleep on one of those."

"I'll go to my brother and tell him what we discovered." She bounded out of the clinic, a near visible bounce in her step.

Jennifer laid down onto the cot. "Thank you, Anders." Her eyes drooped heavily and before the curtain dropped from his hands she was asleep.

-ooo-

She awoke to whimpering. For a moment, she thought Rascal had made his way to Anders' clinic before she recognized it as deeper, more pain laced and desperate. She stood from the cot, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She moved into the main room of the clinic and stopped. Anders was a in a tangle of sheets, clothing and his pillow. He pulled desperately at the sheets in his sleep, murmuring and whimpering. Jennifer couldn't make out what he said, his words sluggish from sleep.

Jennifer moved closer to Anders sitting on the side of his bed. Jennifer looked at him as he tossed his head about, before lines of blue crackled along his body. Her brow furrowed as the familiar something pinged in the back of her mind once more. She slowly, hesitantly placed her fingers along Anders brow. Anders gasped for air and straightened up in bed. He panted heavily, as sweat dripped down his temple into the slight shadow of a beard along his jaw.

Jennifer's chest clenched slightly remembering her time in the fade and Longing's quest for her desires. With her hand still poised next to Anders' forehead, he turned and stared blankly at her. "Jennifer?" She let her hand clench a moment before dropping it into her lap. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"" He asked, wiping the sweat from his face.

Jennifer shook her head. "It is unimportant. Are you alright? You sounded…. Frightened." She peered at him through the dimness of morning light.

Anders smiled. "It was just a dream. Here in our world, there is a terrible plague called 'the Taint' it turns people into hideous monsters, there are few of us, who are special warriors that fight these creatures, which we have named Darkspawn. There's a drawback to becoming what we are. We have horrible nightmares of the creatures, it is a way that we sense when they are nearby."

"Are they close to us?" Jennifer asked, a little worry seeping into her tone.

"No. They are far and few. But as we get older, the dreams are more potent." Anders smiled ruefully.

"I'm sorry." She smiled softly and tried to seem comforting. Part of her mourned the loss of herself. She used to be much better at comforting, being compassionate and understanding. Emotions she now found useless and troublesome.

Anders smiled and patted her leg. "It looks like it's almost morning. We should go ahead and move along. If you would like, you can help me gather some of the supplies." Jennifer nodded and waited patiently at the wooden archway of the clinic as Anders gathered a small pack and his staff. "Alright, off we go then."

They set out towards the Lowtown market. Anders peered over the stalls before heading off into the alley to a rickety door inset into an old worn building. Within the shop many people stood clustered around a dark-haired frustrated looking woman. The woman raised her harms in attempt to calm the crowd when she spotted the two near the doorway. "Anders!" She exclaimed happily and stepped forward to claim Anders in a hug.

AN: Poor poor Anders, I always did feel sorry for him about his Darkspawn/Templar nightmares. No wonder he always seems so tired… And Huzzah! (I love Sebastian...) we are finally getting somewhere! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you think, and let me know who you would like Jennifer to end up with. I'm still lost as to who she should solidly go for. I personally favor Fenris, but who knows right? Leave me a review! Later my pretties!