After a week, Isabella decided to follow Anders one evening and find out exactly what he was up to every night. She stuck to the shadows and saw him make his way to the Gnawed Noble. She watched the door for about ten minutes, then decided to go inside. She saw him at a table in the back, alone, not in his seeker armor.

She went up to the barkeep, asked for a deck of cards, and a mug of mead, then sauntered over to his table, "Fancy a game of Wicked Grace?"

Anders looked up from his drink, "Don't you think I owe you enough money as it is?"

Isabella chuckled, "Never enough, my dear." She started dealing the cards. Anders resigned himself to having to play at least one hand. When he put down his mug to pick up his cards, she picked up his beverage.

She took a drink, "Wow! Don't you know you should never drink alone?"

He smirked, "Sorry, I'm new to it, don't quite know all the rules."

Isabella put the mug back on the table in front of him and picked up her own, "So, the Viscountess tells me you're very much an ass these days." She caught his eye and continued, "a bit conceited, even. Reminds me of a conversation we had once." She picked up her cards.

Anders looked at her over his cards, "What about it?"

She shrugged, "Just strikes me as odd, that's all. You said you wanted to go back to how you were before you met Justice. And now you have."

Anders smirked, "You can't even begin to understand me, Isabella, so don't even try."

Isabella put her cards face-down in front of her, "You're a man, darling, there really isn't much to understand." She got up and walked over to Anders. She sat on his lap, straddling him.

Anders put his cards down, letting his hands rest on her thighs, "What are you doing?"

She shrugged, "Testing a theory." She pressed her lips to his. He responded by holding her against him and deepened the kiss. She pressed herself tighter against him. Suddenly, he stopped and sighed, "I can't..."

She smirked at him, "I thought so."

"And how do you know it isn't because of all the times I've treated you in my clinic, or because I'm scared that elf will rip my heart out?"

"Because, the Anders I remember didn't care about those things. And because you know Fenris would never find out." She put her arms on his shoulders, "You still love her, don't you?"

Anders sighed deeply, he figured that it might be good to tell someone, "Of course I do."

"Then why are you pushing her away?"

"Because...I've made a lot of mistakes that I'm paying for now. I don't want to drag her with me. And she's married and pregnant with Cullen's child. She's lost to me and all I can do is watch her build the life that we dreamed of together with someone else. I love her and would never stand in the way of her happiness. So, it's easier to push..."

"So, you've been acting like you're old self during the day, then coming here at night feeling sorry for yourself, is that it? You need to stop this. She didn't give you your life so that you could drown it away, either in alcohol or in sorrow. You still love her, fine, you have to live with that. She needs you to be her friend, now, more than ever. Not an inconsiderate prick."

Isabella considered him for a second, then continued, "If you could go back and change it, would you?"

Anders furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

She tried again, "Would you not get involved with her? Would you get involved but not do that thing you did? Would you change any of it?"

Anders thought about it, "Being with her, was one of the happiest times of my life. I wouldn't give up any of the time we spent together - even if we did argue...often. There are times I wish I wouldn't have done the other thing, though. Then, at least I'd still have her. Sometimes I ask myself if it was all worth it. And, maybe..."

Isabella stopped him, "Ok, that's something you need to stop also. Don't say "maybe". You don't know what would've happened. It's alright to have regrets, but don't dwell on them. All you can do is accept the way things are now, move forward. Understand?"

Anders smiled slightly, "I do. I'll think about it."

She smirked at him, "I sure hope you do because I'm really tired of living with that other jerk already."