The pirate had been back in Kirkwall for several days when she spotted Aisha. Isabela was just coming back from the Blooming Rose, sated in more ways than one, when she heard a familiar laughter. She looked towards the High town main square and surely enough, there she was. It was her mage, her Aisha, laughing and walking together with an elf that Isabela didn't recognize. Isabela stayed in the shadows, observing the mage who still hadn't noticed her.

Aisha looked older and happier than Isabela had ever seen her. Her hair was longer, her smile brighter and the constant frown of worry and stress was gone. Probably all thanks to the pretty elf that was next to her, Isabela thought. Aisha and the elf hooked their arms as they walked towards Hawke's estate. Isabela followed them for a little bit, secretly enjoying the sound of Aisha's giggles and whispers even if they weren't directed at her.

"I have to go now," she heard the elf say.

"Can't you just...?" Aisha replied and refused to let go of the elf's hand.

"No I can't and you have to go home," the elf laughed, "you haven't left my bed for days. Hawke will start wondering." Isabela gasped a little at the elf's word but strained her ears trying to hear. Her heart sank when Aisha gave the elf an adoring smile and leaned forward. The pirate couldn't take her eyes of the two women who kissed tenderly and felt lucky that her rogue skills kept her invisible in the shadows.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Isabela was close enough to see Aisha's hopeful smile. The elf laughed instead of replying and kissed the tip of the mage's nose.

"I'm planning to talk with Hawke tomorrow." The elf said as she turned around and started walking away into the night, "if you're lucky you will get to come to Chateau Haine."

Aisha stood still for a few moments, looking into the dark at the direction her friend had left in. Isabela had to admit to herself that the mage looked happy, she didn't look like she missed Isabela at all. Part of the pirate wanted to leave, not complicate Aisha's life again; the other part of her wanted to leap forward, take Aisha in her arms, kiss her and hope that the smile of the mage's lips wouldn't go away but rather deepen.

Aisha shivered in the cold night. She would miss Tallis, she realised, even if they were just going to be apart for a few nights. The mage had grown accustomed to spend lazy days with Tallis in bed and she had a suspicions that those days were sadly over. Tomorrow Tallis was going to go and lie to Hawke, and after that she had to leave. Aisha didn't feel like she could judge her friend for wanting to lie, she was going to miss her a lot when she left though.

The mage was about to open the door when a pair of arms encircled her waist from behind and she was swept into an embrace smelling of the sea and a pirate she hadn't seen in a long time. Aisha's reflexes were quick and before she noticed who the stranger was she had elbowed Isabela in the stomach and moved away from her.

Isabela coughed at the hit and let go, taking a step backwards and rubbing her stomach.

"Ouch!" she said to the now surprised Aisha, "what's wrong with you? This is how you greet me?"

Aisha looked angry for a moment.

"You snuck up on me at night! You're lucky I didn't throw a fireball at you."

Isabela dropped her arm down and looked at Aisha. Any hope that Aisha would actually be happy to see her seemed foolish; it seemed as if the mage was still angry at her despite it being years since they had seen each other.

"You can't seriously still be angry with me?" The pirate said. Aisha sighed, and rubbed her forehead.

"No," she said eventually, "I'm not angry with you anymore, I haven't been for a long time. You just scared me a little bit."

"I'm sorry," Isabela said but after that turned quiet. She didn't know what to say anymore, "I should go, I just saw you and your friend and thought I should say hi. You know, for old time's sake."

Aisha took a step back and looked defensive once more.

"How much did you hear?" She asked, not entirely comfortable with the thought that her old lover had watched her with her new one.

"Relax sweet thing," Isabela said, "I didn't hear anything."

"Good," Aisha said. Then silence fell between them once more. This is so awkward, Aisha thought. Every cell in her body seemed to be screaming at her to move, Isabela was there. Her Isabela, the Isabela she had spent almost every night for two years dreaming about. The Isabela that she had feared that she would never get to see again. And here she was. The same. Her hair, her arms, her skin, Aisha wanted to move forward and wrap herself in every part that was Isabela. She also knew that she wouldn't.

"Have you been back for long?" Aisha eventually asked.

Isabela sighed and nodded.

"A few days. I came and asked about you but nobody seemed to know where you were. I even ran into Anders who seemed angry."

Aisha smiled.

"Good, let him be angry. He wants to be my father or something. Hawke and Merrill let me live my life, they're sweet."

"They let you live with them?"

Aisha nodded.

"Yeah, they've been really helpful in every way."

"And that elf..."

"Is none of your business," Aisha said, "she is my employer."

"You surprise me," Isabela said, "I never thought you would be the type to take up that kind of employment."

"Shut up," Aisha snapped, an angry blush spreading on her cheeks, "just go home, Isabela, go home to wherever it is you sleep now." She started turning around when the pirate grabbed her arm.

"I'm... I'm sorry, okay?" The pirate said, "that was uncalled for."

Aisha didn't look at her, sighed and then nodded slowly.

"It's okay," she said without turning around, "but it's late, I'm tired and it's probably going to be a long day tomorrow, so..."

"What's happening tomorrow?"

Aisha turned around now and looked at her. Isabela put her arms up with her palms forward.

"Fine, fine, not my business. I'm going."

Isabela did turn to walk away now, leaving an empty hole in Aisha's chest. The mage couldn't help herself, she lunged forward and yelled.

"Isabela!"

Isabela stopped walking and turned around slowly. Aisha took five quick steps and was soon standing in front of her.

"Ummm," she said, suddenly feeling awkward, "if you don't have anywhere to sleep you could always sleep here. I'm sure Hawke and Merrill wouldn't mind. I wouldn't mind."

Isabela remained quiet for a moment. Aisha was standing right in front of her, close enough to touch. It would be so easy to just lean down and kiss those slightly quivering lips, maybe run her fingers through the stray hairs that had made their way out of the mage's braid. Isabela wanted so badly to extend her arm and just pull the smaller woman closer but stood frozen on the ground. Eventually she felt herself giving her usual confident smile.

"I got my old room back," she said, "and even if I hadn't there are plenty of beds that are open to me." Her confident smile disappeared when Aisha looked tired again and wished she hadn't said anything.

"I'm sure there are," Aisha said, sounding strained, "welcome back." With that she started turned and started walking back. Isabela waited a moment, watching the mage go to the door, open it, enter and close it again. The pirate turned back towards the stairs to Low town and started walking home.

She didn't feel like finding a stranger's bed to sleep in. Instead she went home, to her room in the Hanged man, she took of her necklace and earings, threw her bandana and tunic on the floor, eventually she kicked her boots off and laid down naked on her bed. She remembered another night, almost three years ago when another warm night that had led her to sleeping naked; the following morning she had woken up with a naked Aisha in her arms.

…

Aisha laid awake in her bed, unable to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes all she could see was the pirate. Her bronze skin, her honey-coloured eyes, the sun-spots on her face and her arms, her lips. It had been so difficult standing so close to her and not touch her at all, but it had been worth the restraint when Isabela had said that thing about beds being open for her.

The mage turned and twisted in the bed, it really was too warm, but she didn't want to take of her chemise in case Bodhan or Orana came into her room in the morning. Part of her missed the freedom of living somewhere where she didn't feel like she was under constant scrutiny. It was sweet of Hawke to let her stay there, it was, but it wasn't for Aisha. She didn't belong in High Town. The mage didn't know where she belonged. She turned once more and tried to be comfortable. It didn't work but sleep came for her anyway.

AN: Hope everyone is still enjoying the stories! Reviews are always welcome ;)

Believe it or not the story is sloowly starting to wrap up. Only around six chapters or something like that left. Thank you for reading!