So now we are into Act 2, officially beginning quests! While plenty has happened with our main couple not becoming a couple, it was important to see that they are both easily swayed from the other due to past experiences, and their own denial. I'm not forgetting that things happened, but both are going to try pretty hard to "just be friends", albeit unsuccessfully.

"Anything I should know about today?"

"Hmm?" Cat asked, glancing at Fenris as they walked towards the Chantry.

"Today's jobs? Anything important to know before we meet with everyone?" he asked.

"Hmm, no, nothing crucial. With Sebastian, we'll come across a demon or two, but there should be no problem."

"That is good to hear," he replied. "Some days it feels as if the Maker himself were against us."

Cat glanced over again with a smile. "More like Hawke is just a magnet for trouble, I think," she replied. "No matter the job, we'll have our work cut out for us."

She could see his smirk, and chuckled, as it made him look more dangerous, rather than jovial. Turning the corner, she could see several of the group had already arrived, and she ran forward to greet them.

"Aveline!" She called out, as she came forward. "Hi!"

"What about me?" Anders asked with a fake pout.

"Hello Anders, how are you?" Cat turned to him with a grin, as he pulled her in for a hug. "Ready for this?" she asked.

"I'm not certain, as we haven't been told what it is we are helping with yet," he replied with a wink.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure we can handle it," Aveline said stoically.

"Cat, my friend!"

She glanced up towards the voice, and saw Sebastian descending the stairs to the Chantry with Hawke and Varric. He had a hand lifted in something between a wave and salute, and Cat moved forward to meet them.

"Sebastian, good to see you again," she said, clasping arms with him, and patting his shoulder.

"That's right, I forgot you two already knew each other," Varric said with a smirk, as Sebastian changed his grip on her hand, and brought it to him to kiss it. "Probably better than we do, in fact."

Cat continued to smile,though she rolled her eyes. Today, she wanted to only spend time with her friends. She had missed them in the past week, keeping to herself as she had. Well, no more of that! she told herself.

"That's true," she replied. "Though Sebastian insists that this is how one greets a friend, I have yet to see him greet any others this way," she teased, and Varric's eyes lit up.

"You have yet to dissuade me that you are a lady, my friend," Sebastian spoke up. "And until you do, I shall greet you as one."

"Well, far be it for me to disagree, for I am also not convinced of Cat's humble origins," Hawke said grandly, and grabbed her hand to kiss it as well.

Her eyes went wide, and she sucked in a quick breath, but she forced herself to treat Hawke just like her other friends. It seemed he was having an easier time of it than she was.

"Oh stop that," she said, pulling her hand back. "I should have warned you that I haven't washed my hands for awhile…" she laughed at the face Hawke gave her, and Sebastian joined in with a chuckle.

"Don't fall for it," he said to Hawke. "She has tried that numerous times as a distraction." He gave her an eye roll as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Are we waiting for anyone, or are we ready to leave?" Cat asked.

"We're waiting for Merrill," Varric answered. "So, Choir boy, when did you meet our Little Dove?"

Sebastian spluttered. "C- Choir boy?!" he asked.

"Eh, it just seemed right," Varric answered.

"Varric gives everyone nicknames," Cat said to Sebastian as an explanation. "Actually, we met the day that you all left on the expedition," she said to Varric. "Though we didn't become friends until later."

"That's true," Sebastian said, still eyeing Varric oddly. "I was here, in the courtyard, and suddenly this woman came running in, as if someone was chasing her. She collapsed against the wall, panting, so I went over to see if I could aid her." He looked over at Cat with a smile. "And introduced myself to Cat. Over the next few weeks, I ran into her several times in front of the keep."

"That's when I started working with the guard," Cat explained, which had Aveline nodding and giving a smile at the memory.

"And we started practicing our archery together after that. Though, it has been awhile now…"

Cat gave him a sheepish look. "I'm sorry Sebastian, things have been a little… uh, busy."

"It's true," Anders jumped in. "We've all wanted to spend time with Cat since we returned."

"Perhaps we should all get together to spar and work on our skills," Hawke said, having everyone turn to him. "It couldn't hurt to become more familiar with each others' fighting skills, especially if we do not have another job."

"A wise plan," Fenris added. "We could practice combining our strengths into specific attack patterns."

"Outside the city would be best…" Anders added. "To avoid the templars."

"We have a large room at our house that can be used as well," Cat offered.

"Did you move to a new home, Cat?" Sebastian asked. "That small hovel in Lowtown can't be what you are speaking of."

"Oh, yes," she replied. "I'm living with Fenris now, in a mansion in Hightown, just a street over, and down," she said as she pointed in the direction.

Sebastian's brow furrowed, and he looked as if he was ready to say something about her living arrangements when Hawke jumped in.

"Oh, Cat, I almost forgot!"

She turned to him, gratefully. "Yes?"

"I brought you something," he said, and pulled a book away from Varric, handing it to Cat. She looked down, seeing that it was destroyed, with burn marks all over its cover. She looked up in confusion, and he grinned at her.

"One down, four evil tomes to go," he said.

Her face lit as she understood. They had found one of the tomes that Idunna had spoken of, and destroyed it! She assumed it was the one from the Chantry, being as that was where they had come from.

"This is amazing!" she said as she looked back at him with a grin of her own. "Was it difficult? Tell me everything!" she exclaimed as she forgot everything else and stepped over to him, looking at him expectantly.

He was surprised, but covered it quickly, and began relating the tale in a way that would make Varric proud.

"You're certain about this?" Hawke asked Sebastian, as he stepped forward to the door, and pounded on it with a fist.

"Without a doubt," came the reply. All smiles from earlier were gone, as the group waited on the doorstep. Sebastian finally reached forward to try to door, and it opened without a sound.

"Ominous…" Varric muttered.

"That's strange," Sebastian said. "The door is open, and not a single guard is posted? This is not the Lady Harimann I remember." The group stepped forward into the large foyer, looking around. Everything seemed normal, except for the complete lack of people. "Something is very wrong here."

Hawke waited for Sebastian to lead, but after a few moments with no movement, he stepped further into the room. The group followed after him, at a slow but steady pace, looking all around them for the people who lived here.

Several doors seemed not only locked, but braced against entry, leaving only one path to follow. Hawke pulled out his staff, wary for the trap that seemed inevitable, but continued onward. He heard a voice, and followed the sound towards the wine cellar. He led his crew down the steps, all while the lone woman berated her invisible servant.

"Why will no one in this house give me what I want?!" she demanded.

"Flora?" Sebastian asked, as they reached the level she was in.

"Now! Give me more wine, or I swear I will drown you in the dregs!" she yelled at the air.

"That sounds familiar," Varric said aside to Fenris. "I don't envy the others in this house come morning."

Sebastian looked at Hawke in confusion. "She doesn't even see us…" he said quietly.

Hawke turned around, and headed back up the stairs. Turning down the corridor he was originally following, he led the group into the main dining room. They stopped just inside the door, seeing a man in front of a cauldron with a fire going beneath it in the middle of the wooden floor.

"Unwise," Fenris muttered.

"More logs! It must be molten!"

"Brett?" Sebastian asked, coming closer. He paused as he saw an elven maid being held at knife point by an elven servant. "What's going on?" he asked, in exasperation.

"You," Brett called out. "Bring more coins! I want every piece of gold in this house!"

"P-please messere," the maid begged.

"Don't worry, you'll be beautiful!" Brett turned to the elves, speaking to the male. "Once it is ready, pour it over her."

"No, you'd kill her!" Sebastian protested. The elf turned, and seeing the group, left the maid and went over to them. Sebastian wasted no time, and rearing back, punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. He stepped aside as the maid ran from the room, noting that Brett had yet to notice anything was amiss. "What is this madness?!" he cried.

"Perhaps it should be me?" Brett mused, even as Hawke led his group onward. Cat looked back, seeing the glaze over his eyes as he spoke. "But then, how would I appreciate it? No, no… wait! Where did she go?"

Cat caught back up, Aveline waiting until she passed to continue. She could hear Sebastian speaking to Hawke. "… often played together. They could not have concealed such goings on."

"We'll get to the bottom of this Sebastian," Hawke replied. As they reached the top of the staircase, Hawke said, "Fan out, see if you can find anything."

Cat walked to the nearest door, hoping for an empty room, but her luck wasn't that good. She stepped into the room and smirked, knowing immediately what, or who, she had found.

"Oh… lower… r…. no, no… where's the feather? Yes, that's it, use the feather!"

"Cat?" she heard behind her, and Anders, seeing what was in front of her, stepped up and covered her eyes with his hand.

"Hawke!" he called, and the others came racing into the room, expecting danger. Cat heard Aveline give a disgusted sound, and heard a chuckle or two as well.

"My deepest apologies Cat. I beg your pardon, everyone. I did not mean to expose any of you to such things."

"Nothing I haven't seen or heard before," Cat muttered, and blinked at the sudden light as Anders' hand was removed, and he spun her around to face him. "Excuse me?" he said quietly.

"Where have you been all my life?" The man in the bed exclaimed suddenly. "Today, I am more than a man, and now, felicitate me!"

Cat snickered, bringing her hand to her mouth to try to stifle it. She could see Anders trying to look shocked, but the corners of his mouth were also coming up in a smile.

"Isabela will be sad she missed this," Hawke said.

"He has absolutely no idea we're even standing here," Sebastian exclaimed. "I've known Ruxton Harimann my entire life. He's a complete prude!"

"You know what they say about a man with big hands," Ruxton said loudly, which brought another round of chuckles.

"No, what do they say?" Cat asked Sebastian innocently, causing him to flush.

"I… think it is time to move on," he said, herding the group out of the room, but not before they heard the last part.

"Now, you be the naughty apprentice, and I'll be the templar torturer…"

"Whoa… that's a real thing?" Cat asked as she glanced up at Anders.

"Let's talk about something else," he muttered.

"Come on, I want to know!" she said back with a grin. "I can understand the role play, but I wouldn't think mages would like it very much. Hawke, Merrill?"

"Hmph," Anders grunted.

"Have you ever played apprentice and templar?" Merrill asked Cat, causing several of the men to choke suddenly.

"I haven't played that particular one before," she answered. "What about you, Anders?"

"Yes Anders, do tell," Hawke said with a laugh.

"Certainly Hawke, right after you," Anders countered quickly.

"We're all friends here," Varric said with a sly grin, and Hawke and Anders stopped talking.

Cat rolled her eyes. "It's more fun when everyone shares you know. Maybe we should have a girls night soon, since the boys aren't sharing. Aveline, Merrill? What do you say?"

"Listen!" Fenris hissed, causing everyone to be silent, and ready their weapons. They stopped, listening for whatever Fenris had heard, but in the silence, Hawke gestured forward and moved on.

They followed single file below even the cellar, all of them glancing around the dark room. As they reached the floor, they grouped back together, and headed forward.

"Turn back. There's nothing for you here."

"Flora? Brett? Ruxton?" Sebastian called to the three of them, standing in front of his group and blocking their way.

"How'd they beat us down here?" Cat whispered to Varric, who shrugged.

"Oh, now you see us?" Hawke asked with a smirk. "Strange that you couldn't when you were all acting like complete idiots, then you ignored us completely."

"You shall not enter." After saying this, Flora fell to her knees, and over on her back, followed immediately by her brothers.

"What… just happened?" Varric asked.

"Demons!" Merrill called out. They all braced, and a desire demon with several shades sprung up in their midst.

After the fight, Sebastian looked at the doorway across from them. "Demons, temptresses… we must see what evil they were protecting," he said, though Cat thought he was speaking to himself.

"Let's go," Hawke replied, and headed onward.

After a particularly nasty fight with a rage demon, they stopped to catch their breath. "This is some kind of ruin, and so near Hightown… it's… impossible," Sebastian marveled.

"So many demons," Hawke muttered. "What have these people gotten involved in?"

"With this many lesser demons," Merrill spoke up, "we will probably find a greater demon in charge of them."

"Just what I wanted to hear," Varric mumbled.

"At least we won't have to worry about them in the future," Aveline added. "It's good that we are destroying them."

"Everyone ready?" Hawke asked. Receiving nods, he started off again, moving down stairs and through rough-cut hallways.

Cat couldn't say she enjoyed the atmosphere, what with the dark halls only lit with torches on the walls. The corpses and shades that sprung up made things infinitely worse, and when the revenant appeared, she froze for a moment or two before running like hell the other direction, and letting the others deal with it.

However, she wouldn't change it. She enjoyed their banter, and even more, she enjoyed when she was a part of it. Even those that didn't really get along, would find things in common to speak of, or tease each other, and even then, if the teasing did turn mean, Hawke would step in and change the subject.

She absolutely loved it, and was having the time of her life.

Cat looked up as they walked under a large archway. Hawke looked left, toward a large wooden staircase, then right, to a large tunnel. He stepped right, and the corpses popped up as one, easily surrounding them. "Revenant!" Cat whipped around, surprised to hear the call again, and looked where Merrill pointed to see the large, armored corpse striding down the stairs.

It looked like it was staring straight at her, with its red lit eyes, and she faltered slightly.

"Cat!" she heard Hawke call, and she focused on him. "All together, after Anders freezes it, all right?"

She looked back at the demon-possessed corpse, and nodded. I can do this… she thought, and she headed around the group to get into position, fighting a few corpses on the way.

"Now!" Anders yelled, sending a heavy Winter's Grasp spell at the revenant. They knew it was resistant to cold, but it gave them a few moments before it broke free to damage it.

Cat watched as the others jumped into the fray, using their toughest attacks to bring it down. She worried, knowing that it could take them all in one attack, and if she tried to run, it could pull her back.

"Behind you!" Varric yelled, being at a distance for his own attacks. They broke off, seeing the Arcane Horror behind them. Hawke stayed where he was, pulling the blade of his staff from the revenant, and gathering mana to attack.

Cat could see the electricity gathering around him, and held back still, as the lightning surged forward to the revenant. Hawke bent over, panting, as the creature stood up, and loomed over him, and the fear for someone else won over the fear for herself.

Cat charged forward, her daggers overhead, and she jumped, digging her daggers into its back. She yanked the left one out, and moving higher, plunged it back in, repeating it with her right side, climbing up the back of the creature, her feet no longer touching the ground.

"Die! Just Die!" She pleaded with it, stabbing it repeatedly, twisting the daggers as much as she could. The unearthly screams of the thing, were stabbing into her eardrums, and she wanted to let go, but her fear held her fast. It seemed like eternity, and there was a sound like something punching through a wall. She looked up, and saw the Hawke's staff's blade protruding from the head of the corpse, through its helmet. And then she was falling, as the thing fell down, and she rolled away, finally releasing her daggers.

She opened her eyes to see Hawke standing above her, looking concerned. "You okay?" he asked. She took a mental inventory, and nodded, relieved. "Good," he said, reaching down to help her to her feet. He went and retrieved her daggers, handing them to her by the hilts. "You did good," he said with a smirk, and she couldn't help but return it.

"It felt good," she replied.

"I don't know about you," Varric said as he came forward. "But I am ready to finish this."

"I couldn't agree more," Hawke answered. He picked up his staff, stepping on the head of the revenant, pulling the blade free, and striding off while the others quickly followed.

"I put that Idiot Goran Vael into the Prince's seat, but the other families will not heed him. I must marry him to Flora, and solidify our hold. And to do that, I need more power.

"She really did it…" Sebastian said sorrowfully. "I had hoped… but no. She killed my family. All for power."

They stood quietly, observing Lady Harimann speaking to a powerful desire demon. They were a fair distance away, but the cavernous room echoed their voices to the group.

"You've already traded your husband and children," the demon spoke. "What else do you have to offer?"

Hawke, having heard enough, strode forward, and Sebastian followed close behind. The others followed, though there was a small distance between them.

"What's the going rate?" Hawke asked sarcastically. "It's a standard fifty silvers down at the Blooming Rose."

The demon turned, eyeing the new-comers with a smile. She glided over, admiring the look of them, feeling the desires bursting from each of them. "You'd hardly find my services "standard", it replied.

The demon eyed each of them, unable to decide which would be most delicious. The two in the front, speaking with such righteous anger, even as they wanted the same power for their own… the male elf and mage, yearning for freedom, and the power to destroy their enemies. It turned its eyes to the females, dismissing the elf as too easy, and the warrior as boring.

This one, the desires are so many, yet unrealized… it thought with a grin. Not too simple, but fun to nurture along until it consumed her. Much as Lady Harimann usedto be.

"And you murdered her!" Sebastian yelled.

"Such a harsh word," the demon spoke again, and Cat found herself about to nod, and shook her head. She could feel the demon smiling at her, and she looked away. "I prefer, "removed obstacles from her dream".

"This is your influence!" Sebastian rounded on the demon, who shrugged nonchalantly.

"I could create such desires, if I wished. But it is far easier to nurture those that already exist. The desire for power is easy to find. You and your friend both have it, do you not? Or the power to destroy one's enemies?" Cat's head popped up, as she felt Anders and Fenris both tense beside her. "Or even desires of the heart?" Cat looked away again, feeling the demon's pull and wanting to resist.

"I will hear no more!" Hawke bellowed, breaking the tension in the room. His crew raised their weapons, and charged forward, as both Lady Harimann and the demon disappeared.

Cat looked around, seeing the older woman appear behind them, and running for her. She would fight literally anything else in order to stay away from it, even the powerful blood mage. Before she could make it, the demon appeared in front of her, its hand on her face.

"I can help," it whispered to her, and she whimpered at the force of the pull she felt, unable to look away.

"No… no!" Cat yelled, shaking her head.

"Leave her alone!" Sebastian yelled, shooting a bolt straight at the demon, embedding it in its stomach, causing it to wail in pain.

"Cat! Move!" he yelled, and she shook her head again, moving away as quick as she was able.

Not to be outdone, the demon moved on, calling forth shades to help protect it, as it came to the male elf.

"All of them will die, if you let me help you," it cooed at him. He glanced at it, uncertain. The words did not feel right, and yet he wanted so badly to agree.

"Get the demon!" Hawke yelled out, as he fought with Lady Harimann. "I can handle her!"

"Ha ha! What's a little boy going to do to me?" she spit back at him, lashing out with a spell that had his blood feeling as if it was on fire.

"Hawke!" Cat yelled, as she threw a small knife at the mage. It struck her leg, but was enough of a distraction to stop her spell, and Hawke stood once again in front of her, grimacing.

"Blood magic!" he spat, disgusted.

"Shall I show you more?" she asked with a horrendous grin.

"No thank you, Ma'am," Cat said as she brought the dagger through her chest. The woman became limp in Cat's arms, and she gently brought her down to lay on the ground, pulling her dagger free on the way. She waited until she was no longer breathing, and sighing, cleaned off her dagger, and stood.

Walking over to Hawke, she noted that the others had finally been able to take out the demon, and she felt better just knowing it was gone. She reached where Hawke knelt on the ground, and stuck her hand out to help him up.

"That looked painful," she commented about the earlier spell.

"I believe she set my blood boiling within me," he replied as he stood.

"Ew," she said with a wince. "Glad we stopped it in time then."

He looked down at her, with a smirk. "Thanks," he said.

"Anytime."

Cat didn't say much on the trip back, listening to Sebastian speak to Flora, who was now free of the demon's control, listening to Sebastian curse the demon and all the havoc it has caused. She almost wished for their earlier banter, as they left with heavier hearts.

"That was a horrible experience," Aveline commented. "I didn't realize how strong a demon's words could be."

"Agreed," Fenris said. "It was as if the words themselves were pulling on me."

"Yes," Cat agreed, unable to properly put into words how she had felt. "I feel… dirty."

"I do as well," Sebastian spoke up from ahead of them, though he didn't turn. "It is as if I have bathed in filth, and I will never be able to be rid of it."

"We all acted honorably," Hawke said with conviction. "There is no need to be ashamed."

"Perhaps," Sebastian said. "But the demon did not lie. I was terribly jealous of my brother, and wanted what he had. Now, I could, while he lies in ashes. But, I ask myself, do I want it for the right reasons? Or simply to fulfill old desires?"

"Are you not your parent's heir?" Hawke asked, confused.

"No, I am the youngest of three sons. They already had their heir, and spare, so I was sent to the Chantry."

"But, you seem very dedicated to the Chantry. You didn't join by choice?"

Cat glanced around, noting that everyone was riveted on the conversation in front of them, though they took measures not to show it. She also noted how filthy they all were, after climbing through ruins below someone's house.

"I simply do not know what would be right," Sebastian said as Cat tuned back in.

"What do you want to do?" Hawke asked.

"That demon stirred much in me, and now, I am afraid I have too many doubts. It cannot be right to lead with such doubt gnawing at my heart. I must wait, until I am certain." He glanced over at Hawke, with a smile. "I owe you more than I can say, Hawke. Until I decide on my own path, I will aid you in whatever you need."

"Well, killing a few hundred bandits will help. If not with your decision, than at least in feeling better."

"You have a strange way of working out your inner struggles, Hawke," Sebastian grinned at him in confusion.

"And this should help too," Hawke added, reaching over to Varric, to have a large bow placed in his hand, which he turned over to Sebastian.

"Uh, how did I not notice Varric carrying that?!" Cat said to Aveline.

"My grandfather's bow?!" Sebastian gawked at him. "Where did you find it?"

"It seems the Flint Company did some looting. I merely did the same."

Sebastian pulled back on the string several times, testing its strength. "I look forward to testing it," he answered. "What do you say Cat?" he asked, turning back. "Archery practice tomorrow?"

She grinned in reply. "Sounds fun."