The Grey Warden lived in what was part clinic, part home and more clinic than home but there were unmistakable signs that someone lived as well as worked here. Like the rest of Darktown, the 'house' was nothing more than the usual dank walls and damp ceilings. Darktown had originally been built in the undergrounds and sewers of Kirkwall. It was an underworld filled with disease, crime, and more people than it could fit even half comfortably.

While the space was not large, Beau would admit to being surprised that it looked like only the Grey Warden lived here when the sparse rooms would have easily held a small family. But then again, he was not only a Grey Warden but an apostate, she could see that while the poor and ill would want his healing they would not been so keen on living with him. For fear of when the templars inevitably came knocking or fear of the odds of him becoming an abomination, neither that bright a prospect.

At the far end of the room was a table, surrounded by three adults, with a boy lying on top of it. It was easy to determine which one was the man they were seeking. He had a blue and white light streaming from his outstretched palms, aimed at and entering the boy's chest.

Beau studied him critically, unable to really make out his features or honestly determine his build beneath the rather… interesting attire he wore. His head was bent forward in concentration, and she could make out dirty blonde hair, the top of it pulled back in a short ponytail. Sparing a glance at her sister, Beau wasn't surprised to see Bethany's brow furrowed in concentration as she watched the healer at work, most likely taking mental notes. When the mage pulled back, she reacted instinctively and withdrew a curved dagger from its sheath, eyeballing the light coming from his palms as it condensed from streams into pulsating orbs.

Varric wasn't quite as jumpy as she was and reached out to gesture to her to remain still.

As if he were drawing whatever was wrong with the boy into himself, the mage reeled backward just as the boy sat up. He turned away from the youth, bracing himself against the wall.

Waiting until a man that seemed to be the father of the child was finished with the prostate mage, Beau stepped out of the mother's way as she guided the boy to the door, eyes on the boy himself. What had been wrong with him she did not know but he looked right as rain now. When the man left to join his family, she approached the Grey Warden.

Varric was the first to spot the change in the mage, from how his posture went from weary to alert in almost no time at all. "Hawke…" his warning came just in time as the Warden turned around, a staff suddenly in his hand.

"I have made this place a sanctum of healing and salvation!" He declared, brandishing the staff in one hand, holding the other hand palm forward at them. "Why do you threaten it?"

For the third time in her life, Beau was at a loss for words and she generally did not count the first two times. All she could do was gawk at him, and his hair. It looked like he had cut it himself and she knew her mother would refer to it as a hack job. He was in need of a shave and looked both tired and alert at the same time. She met his eyes, Anders was what Lirene had said, eyes and noted that they were a warm brown, a familiar brown. He seemed to be trying to place her as well because she could have sworn, she seen a hint of recognition on his face.

When Bethany nudged her, Beau remembered what they were here for and snapped out of her thoughts, wondering what the Hell that had been about. Her cheeks tinged pink and, in her haste to cover her embarrassment, she let loose with one of her sarcastic quips. "A Grey Warden healer? I wasn't aware that taint and death went hand in hand with healing and salvation. I was under the impression it was quite the opposite in fact."

She's going to get us killed… was all Bethany could think.

At the mention of Grey Warden, Anders lowered his staff and hand though his posture remained tense. The weariness in his eyes was replaced by annoyance and distrust. "Are you here on the Warden's behalf then? If so, and you think to take me back, I'm not going."

"You're not going…" Beau echoed, wondering if he were serious. There was no way he thought the likes of her were here to drag him anywhere, that was pretty funny.

"Those bastards made me get rid of my cat."

Of all the things he could have said that was not one of them anyone had expected, and it was Bethany to regain use of her tongue first. "Your… cat….?"

"Poor Ser Pounce-A-Lot," Anders nodded, looking a little sad. "He hated the Deep Roads."

"Ser Pounce-A-Lot?" Varric was sniggering, trying to suppress it and failing miserably as he blatantly ignored the look Bethany was giving him. "What kind of name is that? No, no actually, forget that, who takes a cat into the Deep Roads?"

"Me." Anders sounded amused, a little bit. It was apparent this wasn't anything he hadn't heard before. "He was a gift, a noble beast."

Beau had come to the conclusion that while attractive in a ragged, odd sort of way, this Warden seemed to be a few silvers short.

"He almost got ripped in half by a genlock once," he reminisced. "He swatted the buggar on the nose, drew blood too."

"And they made you get rid of this heroic, deadly beast?" she asked dryly.

"Yes, they said he made me 'too soft'. I had to give him to a friend in Amaranthine."

The soft cough from Varric reminded her that she needed to get this conversation moving and preferably not in the direction it was currently heading. "I want to buy information off you." It was a good reminder, she was getting distracted listening to the Warden speak, almost as much as she was by his eyes and that niggling feeling buzzing the back of her skull.

"Information of what kind?" He demanded suspiciously, the hostility returning along with the wariness.

"We're planning an expedition to the Deep Roads and we'll pay you for directions down."

"Right… because obviously, I'm all about money. I heal people for free, what does that tell you?"

"That you're hiding from templars and charging would get you turned in." Varric answered knowingly, smiling when the mage looked down at him.

"That too." Anders sighed and shook his head. "I would die a happy man if I never have to think about the Deep Roads again. You can't even begin to imagine what I've gone through to get here. I'm not interested… in… it…" he trailed off, a speculative expression covering his face as he stared over their heads, rethinking what he had been about to say. "Although…"

Beau groaned, audibly, purposefully drawing his attention to her. "I do not like the sound of that, at all. That's the 'I'm not doing shit for free' thing."

"A favor for a favor, does that sound like a fair deal?"

Hadn't she just said? "Depending on what the favor is," she said grudgingly, resignment lacing her tone. "We're not actually asking you to literally show us how to get into the Deep Roads, a map will do."

"You want a map then you'll help me."

She had seen him look hostile, alert, tired, somewhat amused, a bit sad and now shrewd and she hadn't even met him but moments ago. Trying to figure him out was a bit like trying to get Gamlen to not be a lazy snark: hard, nigh impossible. "Be more specific. I don't do anything involving children or animals."

"And this is a beardless dwarf, not a child." Bethany added in an uncharacteristic display of the same brand of humor she usually scolded Beau for, unable to resist. She giggled despite herself when she felt Varric nudging her from behind.

"Play nice, Sunshine."

Anders was watching them, waiting patiently until they had returned their attention back to him. "I have a Warden map of the depths in this area but there's a price."

"Always is," Varric sighed.

"I came here, to Kirkwall, to help a friend, a mage. He is a prisoner in the Gallows."

Bethany winced at the mention of the mage circle, feeling a new sympathy towards this man and his friend. However, she was beginning to reluctantly see where this was going and wasn't overly pleased with it. "And…?"

"And the templars have learned of my plans to free him. Help me bring him to safety and you shall have your maps."

This had to be the most asinine thing Beau had even considered doing. The whole point of this Deep Roads expedition, of coming to this Warden, was to find a way to keep out of the templar's vision, not sneak apostates past them. "I might just take my chances with the darkspawn. I do not relish the idea of fighting templars."

"If we have to fight templars it is because they believe that anyone who helps a mage is deserving of death."

"As just as your cause is," Bethany said softly, both feeling for him and also feeling apprehensive. "I don't want to give the templars another reason to hunt us."

Which was pretty much what Beau had been thinking herself. "Varric, what say you?"

"We need the maps, Hawke. Sunshine doesn't have to be a part of this rescue mission. In fact, it'd probably be safer if she wasn't."

"I'm not afraid!"

"Nobody said you were but you're not stupid either. Didn't you just say you didn't want to give the templars anymore cause to hunt you?" He pointed out reasonably. He knew he had her when she fell silent.

"These are my terms," Anders announced firmly. "Meet me there at the Chantry tonight, towards midnight. I have sent word to Karl to be there. Maker willing, we will all leave free men."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Bethany demanded, watching crossly as Isabeau studied the old tunnel entrance that allegedly would take them to mother's old home. After Beau had agreed to the rogue Warden's terms, they had left his clinic. Bethany had thought Beau might want to go home to rest before the rescue attempt, but her sister had had other ideas. Other ideas being this, scouting out a way inside the old ancestral place.

"Calm about what, Bethie? I did promise we'd have a look, didn't I?" Beau replied, purposefully misunderstanding the question. "I don't think we'll have too much problem getting in. The lock is rusted over but nothing we can't get-"

"You're really going to do this? Without me?"

Unable to pretend she had no idea what Bethie was talking about any longer, Beau slowly turned around and walked towards her sister, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Yes," she said evenly, not even bothering to try to soften it. "I know you're capable of doing this, but I am not about to lose you to the templars. If we get caught it would be better for you to not be caught with us. You will stay home tonight."

"And what will I tell Mother?"

"Definitely not the truth!"

"I can be of service with that," Varric said, bowing to them both mockingly when they turned to him. He was aware that they were still getting used to his presence and had forgotten about him. Apparently, it had always been just them or they hadn't had many dealings with people who weren't higher than their waists.

"How?"

"Hawke can come to the Hanged Man with me. Simply tell your mother the truth, Sunshine. Hawke is playing cards and drinking ale with the most handsome dwarf in Kirkwall."

Both Hawke sisters snorted at that.

"If you've come back just to tell me no, I would have taken the hint when you didn't show."

"You're the man from the marketplace who bowled me over."

Anders turned to study the woman, finally nodding as recognition lit his eyes. "Yes, I thought I knew you." He had been in the process of packing up for the day. He doubted there would be too many more people showing up and he needed time to prepare for tonight's excursions. "So, if you're not here about tonight, then…?"

She held out a scrap of paper, unsure what to say. Beau had nearly forgotten about the child's pregnant mother, much to her shame. "Lirene sent a message for you."

He took it, read it, and scowled at her. "You didn't think this held precedence over your maps?"

"I forgot." It was the truth, and a sorry one at that, but it was all she had. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, there's no point now." He sighed, crumpling the paper in his fist and looking around. "I suppose I'll have to go to her…" Anders looked around, searching for something and finally walked away from her.

Beau watched as he retrieved a satchel and began putting supplies in it. "Do you need help?" She asked, shocked that she had offered and didn't expect anything in return. She really must've been feeling guilty, it was the only explanation. When he stopped what he was doing to just stare at her, she felt self-conscious, also something not normal.

"Do you have any experience as a midwife?" He sounded like he didn't expect much and was just being polite.

"Not quite the same but close enough," now Anders was outright amused and offered her a half-smile. "You're hired."

"Great, how much are you paying me?"

"By 'you're hired', what I meant was: 'do this and I'll forgive you for forgetting about this poor woman and her potential death'."

Beau started laughing. Even if he was dragging her into what was likely to be a death trap, at least he had a sense of humor.

"So, explain to me, Varric, just why are you going down into the Deep Roads?" Beau asked curiously, staring at him over the table. She had gotten to the Hanged Man not long ago after checking in to make sure Bethany had made it home alright.

Bethany had but she had not been pleased with the fact that Beau's 'go ahead, I'm right behind you guys' had actually turned out to be a four hour 'right behind you' and not the minutes she had anticipated. She had also not been impressed with Beau going off to help the Warden deliver a baby –'you know nothing about human babies, you've delivered a few horses, Beau!'. Her unhappiness compounded when she was told she wouldn't be joining Beau at the Hanged Man but there had also been a relief, a relief at knowing she wouldn't have to go tonight to the Chantry and probably commit a lot of sins.

"I've gotten the impression that you and Bartrand are… not close."

"Bartrand is a bastard," Varric said cheerfully, raising his tankard to her in a salute before taking a long swallow. "But he is the head of the family, and my brother as reluctant as I am to admit it. As for the Deep Roads, I can't just let the head of the family wander down there alone. I have more than just a passing interest in this expedition: money is always good and I really do not want to be head of the family, so I need to make sure Bartrand lives. Do you have any idea of the obligations I would be tied with if he died?"

"That would be a tragedy," she snorted, drinking her own ale slowly. The last thing she needed was to go into the Chantry to collect an apostate mage while drunk. That and given the late hour and how quickly midnight was approaching, there just wasn't time to get properly smashed, not without slamming down these tankards and that would only wind up with her hurling all over her armor. "Tell me something?"

"Hmm?"

"Why would you stick your neck out for us? You really don't know all that much about us."

He studied her thoughtfully, folding his hands behind his head as he leaned back into his chair. "Sure, I do, Hawke. I keep my ear to the ground. I ear things, and about the lovely Hawke sisters, nothing but good."

"If by good you mean 'killing'."

"Surviving," he corrected, hearing the hint of bitterness in her tone. "You're a survivor Hawke, and that is what we're going to need down there."

"You make it sound like we're going to our deaths."

"The Deep Roads are where darkspawn retreat between Blights. Since we just had a Blight, the roads are still somewhat empty. This is a small window of opportunity and our chances of not dying are pretty good."

"I don't like the gamble."

"Life is a gamble, my friend."

"You're taking a pretty big one, making us your partners."

"It's all about trust. I'll give you a little if you give me a little."

That brought a smile to her face. "You got me there, Varric."

"I knew I would," he drained what was left of his ale before grinning impishly. "Now, tell me… what on earth did you remain in Darktown for? Just to pass on a message? That took an awfully long time, wouldn't you say?" The inspirational moment was over and now he was onto harassing her. She had said something about letting the Warden know about a pregnant woman gone into labor, sent them on ahead, and then didn't show back up for four or so hours. There was a story there.

Beau stared at him, wondering how much to tell him, if anything. She knew she was in for teasing either way and sighed, shaking her head. "If you really must know, I went with him to help with the baby."

"Wait, wait, wait… you helped deliver an infant?" The delight was obvious in Varric's tone and his eyes began sparkling. "Really? Try not to take this wrong, Hawke, but I have a hard time seeing you manage the… ah, gentleness, involved with such a task."

"Anders did the actual… work part of it, I was playing assistant."

"And?"

"And what?"

"How'd it go?"

"It was gross to be honest."

He was silent for a moment, considering that before finally nodding. It was out of mind as he seized on something else. "Anders is it?"

Beau groaned and dropped her head on the table.