For the Sake of Safekeeping

This takes place right before Act 2.

Anders was taking a shortcut down to Darktown when he heard it. That laugh, the laugh that haunted his dreams, the laugh he strove to hear every day—Olivia's laugh. He would recognize that melodious sound anywhere.

He rounded the corner of the alleyway, fully expecting to find Olivia making jokes with one of their friends. He did not expect to find her in the company of a Templar.

Anders panicked at the sight, Olivia's back against the wall of the alley, the Templar advancing on her. Why wasn't she fighting back? Maker, where was her staff? Whatever the reason, he didn't have time to worry about it, because he was not about to let a Templar get his hands on her. He took the staff from his back, Justice stirring within him as he prepared to attack the armored warrior.

He barely took a step towards them when she laughed again, and he froze, confused. Anders watched as the Templar closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers. He waited for the moment when she'd angrily push him away, but it never came… Olivia kissed him back.

All the air rushed out of his lungs at the sight of the woman he loved kissing another man—aTemplar. Jealousy and anger and hurt, swelled within him, Justice whispering accusations in the back of his mind.

She was a distraction who would never love you. She betrayed you. She is a traitor to all mages.

With an angry growl, he partially lost control of the spirit inside him as he advanced on the two still lip-locked against the wall.

Olivia abruptly pulled back, whipping her head towards him, her blue eyes wide as they landed on his. She gasped and shoved the Templar away from her, cautiously stepping towards Anders. She went to speak but the Templar grabbed her arm and shoved her behind him, pointing his sword directly at Anders.

"Stay behind me, it's an abomination!" the Templar shouted, only infuriating both Anders and the spirit raging inside him. Olivia darted out from behind the metal-clad man, putting herself in front of Anders, arms held out in a protective gesture.

"Marc, don't hurt him," she said, and the man furrowed his brow.

"Get away from him!" he replied quickly, eyes darting between her and Anders. "He's an abomination, he'll kill you!"

"He would never hurt me like that," she stated, so sure in her words. The sincerity in her tone—the way she believed in him—allowed Anders to wrestle control back from Justice. He realized that while she meant what she said, there was still a tremor in her voice. Without Justice distracting him with thoughts of "traitor" and "betrayal," Anders picked up on the slightest of charges in the air… she was unconsciously drawing mana to herself out of fear.

But it was too late to do anything to help her. The Templar was shaking his head, brow furrowed as he tried to understand what was going on. Marc's gaze dropped, his eyes widening as he slowly started to back away from the two of them.

"You're a mage?" he asked, accusingly, and Olivia glanced down to her hands, sparks of electricity dancing over her fingertips. She regained control of her magic, the electricity fizzling out as she brought her hands up in a defensive position.

"Marc, please—"

"Oh, Maker!" the Templar started, clearly terrified of the two of them. "When the others find out—"

"That's not going to happen," Olivia said, the air around them shifting again as she readied her magic.

"You can't stop me!" He went to run, but she moved faster, extending her arm and lifting him up with telekinetic force.

"I'm sorry, Marc," she murmured before flicking her wrist, sending the man flying at the alley wall, his armor clanging loudly as he hit the surface and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"Liv—"

"Don't!" she snapped, whirling around to face him. She was angry, electricity menacingly crackling over her arms as she stared at him, her chest heaving. "Dammit, Anders, you ruinedeverything!"

"I thought you were in danger!"

She furrowed her brow, expecting him to say something else. "I was fine. I had everything under control I just—"

"You were kissing him!" he shouted, and she winced at his words. "How could you, Liv? ATemplar? How could you betray your own people for a Templar?"

In an instant she was angry again, glaring daggers at him. "Is that what you think that was?" she practically growled. "You think I enjoyed that? That I wanted that?"

"Was he… forcing himself on you?" he asked, his voice deathly quiet. Justice stirred within him again as he glanced over to the unconscious Templar. If he had done anything she didn't want, Maker help him, he would rip him apart with his bare hands.

Seeing where his thoughts were going, Olivia stepped closer to Anders, gently placing her hands on his chest. "Anders, look at me," she ordered, and he listened, his eyes meeting hers. "He didn't force himself on me. I chose…" She sighed, looking for the right words. "I did this for you," she breathed.

"I don't understand," he replied, brows knitting together.

"How do you think your patients were getting such accurate information on when the Templars were going to raid Darktown?" she asked, pausing a moment for her meaning to sink in. "I was using him for information."

Anders took a step back from her, her hands falling to her sides. "There had to be other ways of getting that information," he started. "Why would… why would you put yourself through that… for me?"

She huffed and shook her head. "You don't get it," she whispered. "How can you still not get it?"

It was the hurt in her voice that gave it away—the same hurt he heard every time he turned down her romantic gestures. She was doing it to protect him, because of her feelings for him. Maker, the woman was willing to put herself in danger, to do Maker knows what with a Templar, just to keep him safe. While he didn't approve or like her methods, the intentions behind them only made him love her more.

And now he had to turn her away again. He had to break her heart, and in turn his, again.

"Olivia, you know we can't…" he started cautiously, steeling himself for the same pained expression on her face he saw every time he said those words.

"But I lo—" She stopped herself before she finished that statement, his heart painfully constricting at what it meant. "Anders, I know you care about me," she breathed, tentatively reaching up to place her hand on his face. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch even though he knew he shouldn't have. "It's been almost three years. Please. I can't take it anymore. Am I supposed to wait on you forever?" Her voice broke spoke, and his heart with it.

Anders opened his eyes and met her desperate, pleading gaze. He wanted so much to give in to her, to tell her how he really felt, to beg her forgiveness for making her wait for so long, but he couldn't. It was his way of protecting her; hurting her in this way was better than the alternatives.

"You're right… you shouldn't wait anymore," he said quietly, and her face lit up, her brilliant blue eyes practically glowing as a beautiful smile spread across her face. He removed her hand from his face and stepped back, unable to keep her gaze when her expression fell again. "Stop waiting, Liv."

"Look at me when you say that," she spat, and he hesitated, not wanting to see that hurt on her face. "Look at me, Anders!"

He snapped his gaze to hers, using all of his will to keep a straight face as he stared at her. "Don't wait for me anymore. Move on, find someone else," he said, even as the mere thought of her loving another man tore him apart inside. The memory of her lips pressed to that Templars' was still fresh in his mind, and he wanted so badly to taste her kiss again, to erase the traces of that templar and any other man and replace it with his own for as long as they lived. But he couldn't risk it.

"Anders, please—"

"I don't feel anything for you!" Anders shouted, and she gasped. He had never lied to her about the way he felt. It made him sick to his stomach to do so, but maybe it would be the one thing that finally made her understand. Olivia just stared at him, mouth agape, eyes wide, until she swallowed hard, pursing her lips and glaring at him.

"Fine. If that's how you really feel," she said, anger radiating off her in waves. "Maybe I will go find someone else. Maybe it'll be another Templar, and who knows, maybe it will be real this time."

Anders knew she didn't mean it, but it still tore at his already broken heart. She stormed off, visibly trying to control her magic from flaring up.

"Liv, that's not what I meant!" he called out after her, and she stopped, turning back to glare at him.

"What does it matter?" She shook her head and sighed. "You've made things very clear. I think I'm going to take a few days off from the clinic… I just… I need some time to think." Olivia held his gaze, longing in her eyes, until she finally left for good.

Anders wanted to go after her, but he didn't, heading back down to Darktown like he originally planned. He prayed to the Maker that she wouldn't get herself killed in the days they would spend apart… because if he lost her, it would surely kill him.