Poor Sebastian the infiltration didn't go as planned. The lady of the house was enthralled by demons. They had helped put Sebastian's usurper on the throne. The victory was a hollow one. Sebastian left defeated to the Chantry as Hawke, Jennifer and Fenris made their way through Hightown, home.
Fenris turned to head towards the dilapidated mansion he called home. Not really home, he didn't think he would ever call any place home. He stopped and looked back, Jennifer was there and she watched with sunken eyes, eyes that were so bright, were now dull. She would hate him. She had too. She stepped forward and Fenris nodded to Hawke before quickly walking towards his run down mansion. There were no people in the early hours of the morning, and when Fenris closed the main door to the manor, the silence was deafening. Dust skittered along the floor from some current of air leading to the outside, broken flagstones and rubble littered the floor as he carefully picked his way through, and there was the chair, perfectly set aside in the room, free from dust and debris. There it sat, and was only moved when she came to visit. It was 'her' chair, something in this world that she could claim as her own, if she only wanted.
-ooo-
Hawke watched as Fenris fled like a coward from Jennifer. He watched as Jennifer's shoulder's fell and her eyes glazed over in an attempt to protect her from whatever she was feeling. So that's what had happened, he had left and had devastated Jennifer enough for her to lose herself. Jennifer turned back with a smile and bounded back to Hawke, though he could see how the smile was forced, and how the bounce in her step faltered. Placing on his own smile, he linked his arms with hers, placed a kiss on her cheek and led her towards the estate. Orana was awake, when Hawke had asked her to come work for him, she had seemed nervous, when she saw her first pay her smile lit up and Jennifer took her shopping for things she had never thought to buy, she was making a stew and some sort of pastry for breakfast, Jennifer excused herself, claiming she was tired and went to her room. Hawke changed into his house coat from his armor gazing out as Jennifer left.
Orana watched sadly as Jennifer left and turned towards Hawke, "Master?"
Hawke grimaced but remained polite. "Hmm?"
"Will the mistress be alright? If she isn't feeling well I have some stew for her." She gestured towards the boiling cauldron that smelled divine. "I know she hasn't been able to keep much down so I can add more water to help." She offered.
"Orana, I'm afraid what Jennifer has can't be cured with watered down stew." He smiled at her and she nodded.
"I know, the mistress told me why she's so upset." Orana hurriedly sprinkled coarse sugar over the tops of the pastries before placing them in the oven.
"Wait, Orana, she told you what happened?" Hawke walked towards her and she flinched slightly.
"N-no, master. The mistress talked in her sleep. I think she was having a nightmare and she talked about how, Master Fenris left, and how a man named Aaron left, and people used to hurt her. She sounded so scared, Master." Hawke thanked Orana placing a quick kiss on her cheek before walking through the estate towards the small bedroom at the back of the hall. He knocked on Jennifer's door, when no answer came, he figured her asleep. "Jennifer?" He called out, there was still no reply. "Jennifer can I come in?" He tried the door. It was locked. "Jennifer, open the door." He called loudly, when there was still no reply, he jiggled the door forcefully. Panic lanced through him and he pounded on the door.
He cursed viciously as he lifted his foot and kicked open at the door, the frame splintered but the door held firm, he kicked again and the door moved only a bit further, the third kick had the door swinging open and he paused, Jennifer leaned against the far side of the bed. Cautiously he walked to the far side of the room before running towards her and sliding on his knees into a pool of blood.
"Mother! Orana! Someone help!" He cradled, Jennifer against him as blood continued to fall from her wrists. Distantly he could hear footsteps clamoring up the stairs and a soft whine at the door. Hawke grabbed hold of her wrist and pressed the palm of his hand against the deep gash. Leandra gasped when she came into the room and Hawke looked at his mother with teary eyes. "Someone go get, Anders."
Leandra turned towards the door, "Orana, please go get Anders from his clinic." Orana nodded quickly but Hawke didn't care. He held fiercely to Jennifer. "Hawke, put her on the bed, and keep that arm above her." Hawke numbly did as his mother asked. Leandra tore the casing of a pillow from the bedding and bunched before handing it to Hawke. He took it, pressing it tightly against the deep wound.
A moment passed, "Where the void is he?!" He soon heard the tell tale signs of the cellar door opening and closing quickly. Footsteps resonated throughout the silent halls shooting as fast as an arrow up the stairs and down the hall, Anders entered, breathless before moving to Jennifer's side.
When he stepped in the pool of blood at the side of the bed he closed his eyes a moment before taking Jennifer's arm from Hawke's reluctant grasp and he swore, quite colorfully. He flashed blue before closing his hand over the wound and healing the seemingly harmless wound clothes. When the wound was clear, he placed his hand just above her mouth, just below her nose. He concentrated a moment, frustrated he looked around and spotted the dagger on the floor. He picked it up, cleaning the blood from it on his coat, placing it just under her nose he looked closely, the barest hint of fog clouded the blade and Anders almost sobbed with relief. He staggered back and rubbed his head, looking towards Hawke. "What in the void happened?!"
"I think it's quite obvious what happened, and I know who caused it." Hawke seethed with anger and moved to leave when Anders caught his arm.
"It doesn't matter, right now she needs you and everyone else here. When need to get her warmed up. She lost a lot of blood, if we don't get her warm, no amount of healing will help her." Anders looked sternly at Hawke as they all moved to cover her in thick blankets, and place heated bricks just under the foot of the mattress.
-ooo-
Hours and Jennifer hadn't awoken. Anders had left, asking Hawke to retrieve him when she had awoken. But he was still furious. He knew, Jennifer needed him, but someone needed to hear FROM him more. He left the estate quickly, heedless of the blood still caked upon his house coat and one leg of his trousers. He stormed through Hightown, people gasping and moving quickly away from him.
He didn't even bother to knock, didn't bother to turn the handle, releasing aggression he kicked the door open and stomped through the cracked flagstones, broken bodies and bottles, and up the stairs to the one used house in the manor. He threw open the door and Fenris was there with sword in hand, when he noticed it was Hawke, he lowered his sword. "Hawke." He greeted, when he noticed Hawke tromping towards him it was too late, Hawke's large heavy fist collided with Fenris' jaw, sending the elf sprawling to the floor.
"You, bastard! You, good for nothing slave! Do you have any idea what you have done?!" He moved to hit Fenris' again, but the elf lunged forward, his shoulder hitting Hawke square in the stomach sending both of them to the floor. "I can't believe you!"
They tousled on the floor, Fenris hit Hawke in the nose, setting it at an odd angle, while Hawke furiously landed two more blows to Fenris' jaw and ear before Fenris could hold Hawke down enough to look at him. "Venhedis, Hawke! What are you on about?!"
"You broke her! The one thing that we all love and care about and YOU broke her! She could have died you prick!" With a hard shove, Hawke pushed Fenris' off him, but most of his steam was gone, a weariness settling in his body as he moved away to sit on the floor. "Jennifer just tried to kill herself."
Fenris faltered. He fell back on his rump, his hands falling limply into his lap. "What?"
"You!" Hawke gestured wildly with his hand. "You broke the one thing that seemed impossible to break! Even after she was Tranquil! Even after everything she went through just since being here and you broke her heart! Not just that, but her spirit!" Hawke stood, carding his fingers roughly through his hair. "I don't know what she was thinking but I went to talk to her and found her in a pool of her own blood!"
Fenris stood quickly looking over Hawke. "Is she alive?"
"Barely, if it weren't for Anders she wouldn't be and still might not be, all because of you." Hawke glared at him. "Whatever you did to her, I didn't think you were the kind of person to be so heartless. For all your talk about mages and their evil, you are by far the worst thing I've ever had the displeasure of knowing. Stay away from her." Hawke growled viciously as he left the mansion.