Hawke didn't trust Tallis, he would admit that freely and directly to her face. However, after finding a ciphered note on one of the bodies made the feeling even worse. Looking around at the people he cared most for, he was given the impression that most felt similarly, but the idea of going out on the hunt for something was enticing. Besides, he had been planning on going to the hunt anyway, for Cat.

He walked over to where Cat stood, watched closely by Fenris. The others followed him, and turning, he noted that Tallis was giving them room to speak, which he could appreciate. Perhaps she does want our help after all, he thought.

"Thoughts?" he asked quietly.

"She's obviously hiding something," Isabela offered. "But she sincerely wants something from the duke."

"There's definitely more to this," Aveline said. "I don't like her asking us to steal for her."

"Neither do I," Hawke agreed.

"But…" Aveline continued, glancing at Cat. "It may be a good thing, getting out of the city for a little while."

Hawke followed her eyes to Cat, and also followed her logic. It all made sense, and he didn't have to agree to steal anything just yet.

"Cat?" he asked, and she looked up at him. "What do you think?" He looked confused as she merely shrugged at him. "What do you want to do?" he tried again.

"I want to go home," she said shortly, and he just stood there and blinked, looking at her apprehensively. She turned away, looking at Fenris in question, and Hawk wondered what could have happened while she was gone that day.

Hawke made a quick decision, and looked down at Varric. "Find out how to contact Tallis. We need time to decide. Get her a room if she needs one. I'll need time to prepare anyway if we decide to go. At least a week."

The dwarf nodded, and walked over to the redhead. Hawke gave Aveline and Merrill a look, and they turned to wait for Varric. He and Isabela stepped up again to Cat and Fenris.

"All right, let's get you home," he said moving to put his arm around her. He was shocked when she moved quickly to avoid him, and went to Isabela instead. "Uh…" he started, looking at Fenris and then Isabela in confusion. Isabela shrugged as she put her arm around Cat and they started off.

"She discovered me this evening," Fenris stated as they stepped forward to keep pace with the women. "As she and the templar got off the ferry."

"Oh," Hawke replied, in understanding. He didn't have to ask if he had told her or not. Just seeing Fenris there would tell her everything, and it was apparent she wasn't taking it well.

He wanted to simply grab her and explain, but he held back. They followed after the pair, and he noted that they were leading he and Fenris to the mansion where she and the elf lived, not to his home, where she had been staying. He didn't know why that upset him so much, but he couldn't deny that it did.

He gave himself time to think about what he would say to Cat, once they got to the house. He knew she would be upset if she found out he was having Fenris follow her, but he had needed her to be unaware, so she wouldn't give him away. True, if their positions were reversed, he'd be spitting angry, but he tried not to think of that.

Hawke noticed then that Fenris was still on high alert, and he kicked himself for letting himself brood. He paid more attention as they walked through Hightown, and eventually made it to the mansion. Cat and Isabela walked straight in, and towards the kitchen, while he and Fenris moved around the rest of the house to ensure they didn't have visitors.

Hawke moved slowly through the main room, lighting a couple lamps with his fingertip as he passed them. If Cat was staying here, then so was he, whether with her or not, because he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep at home.

He looked up as Fenris came near and gestured toward the fireplace. He held out his hand with a smirk as it blazed with a flame, and crouched down to give the flame to the logs. Standing back up, he turned back, to see Cat looking at him, a small smile on her face. Once she saw him looking however, she frowned again.

He looked more closely at her, wondering if he could head this off before she got worked up. And then his eyes fell to her tunic, where there was a large blood stain.

"What the hell is that?!" he demanded, moving over and reaching for her, but she slapped his hands away.

"That's nothing. What I want to know is why Fenris is following me?"

"How did you get this?!" he continued, ignoring her question. He glared at Fenris, accusing. "What happened?!"

"Hey!" she said, her voice raising. "Don't ignore me!"

He moved his gaze to her, and she had to keep herself from stepping back at the intensity of his eyes. They weren't cold as the assassin's had been, but burning as the fire into her own.

"Fenris is following you to keep you safe," he replied evenly, though still angry. "Now, What. Happened."

"So having someone with me at all times isn't enough?!" she growled, having enough of it all. Before seeing Fenris that evening, she had almost resigned herself to telling Hawke that he was right, and agreeing without complaint to his safety measures, but now?

"Obviously it isn't enough," he spat, "since you're coming home injured after being with your precious templar."

"My-" she practically choked on the words. The absolute idiot! she seethed, coming nose to nose with him, and jabbing his chest with her finger, causing Isabela to smile and cheer her on, albeit silently.

"At least my precious templar doesn't treat me like a child!" she ground out. "He trusts me to be able to take care of myself!" She pulled the tunic up, showing him that she had no injury there, though it did little to placate him.

"A lot of good that did!" Hawke grumbled, dismissing her bloody tunic, and grabbing her shoulder, causing her to wince.

He moved quick as a snake, before she could stop him, and had pulled her tunic askew, ripping it slightly and looking at her shoulder where his hand had been. He took in the large bruise silently, though Cat could swear she could hear his teeth grinding.

"Stop it," she said, batting at his hands, and trying to back up.

"What happened." He spoke quietly, not hearing or seeing anything going on around him. Fenris and Isabela both moved closer.

"Nothing," Cat spat. "I had a few spars, that's all."

"With what, a wall?" he asked, though not amused.

"With Cullen. He's helping me, instead of trying to hide me away."

Hawke had almost calmed himself. Almost. But the name of the Knight Captain grated on him like nothing else could. Apparently Cat was the only one blind to his feelings, but Hawke could see them as clearly as the dawn, and he despised the jealousy it triggered.

"Obviously he doesn't care that you get injured," Hawke said quietly, and Cat rolled her eyes. "You won't go there again."

Cat stopped, her spine stiffening. "Who the hell do you think you are?! You do not decide who I see, or where I go. I've allowed it this long to make things easier for you, but no more."

"Easier for me?!" Hawke asked incredulously. "Don't do me any favors," he snarled, completely insulted.

Cat stared at him for a moment, then nodded. She was vibrating in fury, and didn't trust herself to speak. She would have turned and stormed away, but found herself flanked by Isabela and Fenris.

"Why don't we all just calm down," Isabela said easily, "and we'll talk this out."

"Issy-" Cat started, and her friend shook her head.

"Being on the outside of this, Fenris and I can see both sides of the argument, and you're both right."

"No, he's unreasonable!" Cat argued, even as Isabela steered her towards a chair that Fenris pulled near the fire. "He's -"

"Upset," Fenris interrupted. "It happens when someone you care about is being stalked by a deadly group of assassins, and you can't seem to keep them from harm." He pulled another chair up, and looked at Hawke, almost as if challenging him.

Hawke saw the look, and decided not to be petty, though part of him wanted to refuse. He sat, his eyes hooded as he glared at the rest of them. He felt as though it were now three against one, and he was the one, though he told himself it wasn't true.

"Of course I'm upset," he began, and Isabela hushed him as well.

"Look, we all wondered what plans Hawke had going, since Fenris wasn't part of babysitting Kitty," she said, even as Cat winced. Did she have to put it like that?!

"You said he was following you," Isabela continued. "So I can only assume he was trying to get a bead on the assassins without them knowing they were being watched. In order to attack like they do, they must have someone watching you, so putting one of ours on lookout to find them was a good plan."

"Fine! Yes!" Cat pouted. "But why wasn't I told?!" She glared at Hawke. "Why keep secrets?" she asked, even as her stomach knotted up at her own hypocrisy.

"To keep me hidden," Fenris stated before Hawke could answer. "Even if you knew and were trying not to let it be known, there are things you would have done. Looking back, wondering if I were there… you could have given me away if you had known."

"I…" Cat started, but being honest with herself, she admitted that he was right. She sagged, knowing that, the energy she had for a fight now gone, and she was once again exhausted. "I guess so," she mumbled.

"Now. You know how much we all care about you Kitty," Isabela said as she moved over to lean by the fire. "And we don't like seeing you hurt." She smiled a little at her friend's small nod. "Will you tell us what happened?"

And so she did. She left nothing out, knowing that Hawke would probably get angry with her again, but she was so tired and wanted to get it over with.

Hawke's feelings were more of a pendulum as Cat recounted her day. He was happy that she had a good time, happy that she saw the Knight Captain as a friend, though the jealousy in the way she easily defended the templar for bruising her, make a lump in his throat and threatened to choke him.

He was pissed that the Crows had gotten to her, especially with the help of a templar, knowing or not. And he was so incredibly proud of the way she had gotten away from them. As she recounted her injury, he felt fear grip him tightly, and wondered for just a moment if it would always be this way with her. He didn't know if he could go through this ride of emotions every single day.

His head snapped up as she started crying, not great big sobs, but quiet tears running down her face as she described the way the templars spoke of making mages tranquil. His hands became fists as she spoke of trying to save the mage that had saved her life, and her doubts that she had succeeded in little more than convincing the Knight Captain to help for her sake alone.

Once finished, the room was silent, and Cat looked up at Hawke. She could see the tension he carried, see the way his hands were clenched into fists. She tried for a moment to imagine how she would feel if the Crows were after him, and he had been gone for the day without her knowing what was happening.

And her heart softened, and her anger was suddenly gone.

She wasn't making this easy. In fact, she was giving him more grief in her desire to have more freedom. She couldn't stay with him all the time, but she could be more careful, more willing to stay with the others.

Cat stood up quietly, and the others looked at her as she went to Hawke. She grabbed his hand to move it out of her way, and sat on his lap, cuddling up to him. She didn't see his look of surprise, nor the small smiles of the other two.

"I'm sorry I worried you," she said to him quietly. "I'll try to do better."

Her words took all the wind from his sails, and he sighed as he pulled her closer, and played with her hair absently. He looked at the fire, wondering how he could have thought of not having this. Surely any ride of emotions was worth having her with him.

"It's all right," he finally said, and she gave a contented sigh. He decided to let it go and changed the subject. "I was going to take you to that duke's place for that hunt, for your name day," he said. "But I'll leave it up to you if we take Tallis along."

"Can everyone come?" she asked, even as she yawned.

He smiled, resting his chin on her head. I'll have to come up with a new present idea, he thought. "Yeah, we'll take them all with us. It will provide a great distraction."

"If we come up with a way for the Crows to think I'm going somewhere else, maybe we can even enjoy it without looking over our shoulders," she said sleepily.

Hawke smirked, looking over at the other two. "We'll get started on that," he said. She didn't speak again, even as the others began brainstorming for ways to accomplish that. Eventually, Hawke knew she had fallen asleep, and he had Fenris come and take her.

"You can sleep here you know," the elf said, even as he took his sleeping friend. "She may not admit it, but she sleeps better when you're with her as well."

Hawke grinned at knowing that, but he shook his head. "I've got some things to take care of," he replied. "I'll be back in the morning."

"Very well," Fenris replied.

"You want company Hawke?" Isabela asked.

He started to shake his head, but thought better of it. "Sure, if you're up for it."

She nodded, and collected a few of her weapons that she had taken off earlier in order to get comfortable.

"Save us some breakfast, eh Fenris?" she said and they walked out the door.

He shook his head in amusement at the two of them, and moved around the room, extinguishing the lamps. The fire was banked enough to die on its own, so he moved to the stairs.

Well, I can't leave her alone, so I guess she's sleeping with me tonight. Hopefully she doesn't mistake me for Hawke, he thought, thinking of how awkward that would be. Though that would keep him from leaving her at night in the future.

He smiled at his own thoughts as he made his way to his room.

"Knight Captain!"

Cullen looked up at the recruit who had called, as he ran up to meet him. He did a salute, but Cullen really wasn't in the mood for it.

"What is it?" he asked as he continued into the Gallows.

"Sir, the Knight Commander told me to direct you to the ceremony as soon as you returned," the recruit said anxiously.

Cullen didn't groan, but he wanted to. Why Meredith insisted that he take part in these tranquil ceremonies, only the Maker knew. He had hoped that he could feign forgetfulness and just go to his room, but it seemed luck was not on his side that night.

"Very well," he replied, changing his course, and making his way to the small room near the dungeons.

He opened the door, hearing the sobbing, and knew that the Knight Commander had waited for him. He wondered idly how long they had all been here in these cramped walls, waiting for him to show.

"Knight Captain," Meredith said with a small nod. "Thank you for being quick."

"Knight Commander," he replied, a nod of his own, and then took his place standing beside her.

"Proceed," she told the templars holding the mage's shackles. One reached forward, grabbing the mage's head to keep her in place. The other moved back to the small, cast iron pot that was full of red hot coals, with a hand held rod sticking out. The templar grabbed the rod, lifting it, and Cullen made no sign of his feelings at seeing the symbol of the brand that glowed red at the end of the rod.

A third templar came forward with a vial of lyrium, and began the rite, and Cullen tried to think of anything else, even as he began to sweat. He truly disliked watching these ceremonies, even though he knew that they could be necessary.

The only good thing, in Cullen's mind, was that the Knight Commander never stayed too long once the ritual was completed, which meant he didn't need to either.

Once the brand was in place, and the mage collapsed, Meredith strode out of the door, and Cullen followed right after her.

"Cullen, I'm hearing distressing things about today's altercation in the courtyard," she said quietly.

"Commander?" he asked.

"It is easy to see how you care for her, but it cannot be to the detriment of your duties," she continued.

"Of course not, Commander," Cullen replied. He hoped all that came of this was a lecture, but he never knew Meredith to simply stop there.

"Then we understand each other. It is unseemly, Captain, and has generated much interest that you spend so much time with another man's harlot." She put up her hand, knowing that he would try to correct her, or worse, defend Catarina. "Regardless of how esteemed the Champion is, if he is going to impregnate the woman, than he should be the one to care for her," she turned back, as Cullen had stopped in shock. "Don't you agree, Captain?" she asked maliciously.

She took in the stunned expression on his face. You can tell me all you like that you do not care for her, but it is easy to see how you truly feel, she thought. She had been all too happy to hear the news of Cat's condition, knowing it would help to sever the woman's hold on her Knight Captain.

"Captain?" she asked again, and saw his eyes move toward her, clear and unhappy.

"Of course, Commander," he replied dully.

"Good," she replied, and strode off, only to turn back after a few steps. "Oh, and Captain? I need the identity of the mage that used magic illegally in the courtyard this afternoon. Carry out your investigation and bring me the culprit. You have two days."

She turned again and strode off, as Cullen's eyes closed and his shoulders hunched.

"Is it just Hawke and Issy, or are the others coming too?" Cat asked Fenris as she went down the stairs.

"They didn't say anything about others, but you never know," he replied from behind her.

"That's true, somehow we always gather together, even when we don't mean to." She pursed her lips, and tapped a finger on her chin as she thought. "Better safe than sorry," she stated. "We'd better go out an get some more food then."

Cat glanced back, seeing that he wasn't disagreeing with her, and he nodded. "We should stay here in Hightown though."

She nodded in return. "Being that we're early, they should still have a good selection."

Moving over towards the foyer, she moved the wall hanging, opened the small wooden door built into the wall, and pulled out a few coins. When they had found the loose boards, and the small carved out area behind it, she had decided it was the perfect place for their wall safe.

True, there were no locks or such, but no one besides the two of them knew it was there, and they each added to it for household expenses. She had made the loose board into a little door with a couple of small hinges, and Fenris had selected the little tapestry to hang over it. When they had first put it up, they enjoyed the comments from their friends with a smirk at each other.

Now, Cat handed the coins to Fenris, and grabbed a couple of sacks that were left by the door for grocery shopping, and they left the house, intending to shop quickly.

They didn't take long, selecting mostly fruits, though Cat bought some breakfast pastries on impulse. They looked amazing, and it had been awhile since she had splurged, and she had plenty of coin.

Anders had pretty much taken over her business at the Rose, but he always stopped in and gave her half of the profits, even though she tried to refuse. He seemed to take great pleasure in "taking care of her", so she let him do it, and anytime she went to the clinic, she donated some of her coin to him as well.

It was what friends did, she thought, they take care of each other. She took Fenris' hand as they made their way back home. He looked over in question and she grinned at him.

"I'm so glad you're my friend," she said, and he looked at her still, but she could see the corners of his mouth moving up.

"As am I," he replied. "What brought this on?" he asked.

"I just realized how much I have," she said as they came back to their own neighborhood. "I think about where I came from, and I just can't help but be happy with what I've got now."

"Oh?" he asked.

"Yeah. Great friends, an amazing house, coin enough for our needs and then some." She paused as he gave a noise of agreement. "I've got home, health, and love. What else could I possibly want?"

"Maybe to have assassins stop hunting you?" he asked drolly.

"Yeah, but we'll take care of that sooner or later," she replied airily, as he opened their door. Previously, he would have let her in first, but now she knew that things always had to be checked before she could go in, so she waited.

"But seriously, I honestly don't know how I can ever explain how much you all have done for me," she said.

He came back after a moment, and gestured her inside, closing the door after her. They walked into the kitchen, and began unpacking the sacks. He took the empty sacks from her, to put them where they belonged.

She smiled as she hummed to herself, then laughed as she recognized the song, though it had been years since she heard it. She started moving around, shaking her hips as she danced through the kitchen, getting the food ready.

She hummed through the verse, since she couldn't remember it all, but as she came to the chorus, she couldn't help singing a little, even knowing her singing voice left much to be desired. "I'm walking on sunshine… Whoa-oh," she sang softly. "I'm walking on sunshine.. whoa-oh oh, I'm walking on sunshine…oh-oh… and don't it feel good! Hey!"

She stopped as she turned, seeing Fenris watching her from the doorway with a big smile. The times he actually smiled at her she could count on one hand, and so she just grinned back at him, incredibly happy.

"What?" she asked, and he shook his head. He came up and gave her a hug.

"Nothing," he said. "I'm just happy."

"Good!" she exclaimed, squeezing him in return, then pushing him back. "Now help me get this food ready!"

His smile had gone, but his smirk was almost as good. He moved to her other side, grabbing the pitcher of water and removing the towel covering it. He poured some into a bowl and started washing the fruit as she began humming again.

He glanced over, but said nothing. He thought about the words she had sung, thinking how apt they were. She was one that seemed to bring sunshine with her, so he had no trouble believing that she was walking on it.

He didn't want to interrupt, but did want to speak before anyone arrived, and there was no telling who would come or when they would.

"So," he said, and her humming cut off. "I wanted to ask how you truly felt about going to this wyvern hunt."

She glanced over, and decided to humor him. "Honestly, I spoke the truth. Like seeing a dragon for the first time, I would love to see a wyvern. They don't exist back home you know, so it would be like watching magic."

"And we all know how you love that," he replied with a chuckle. "And the elf?" he asked.

"Tallis?" she replied. "She's a lot like me."

"Oh?!" he said, turning.

"Oh, sorry, not like that. I just meant she has secrets, but eventually she'll trust Hawke enough to share some of them. She's trying to do the right thing, but going against great opposition to do it." She turned as well, with a sheepish look. "I feel like it's cheating somehow, to be telling you things about others."

"I suppose… I can understand. If you don't want to, you only have to say so."

"It isn't that," she replied. "It's just strange. I can almost forget sometimes, not that I know things, but that everyone else doesn't."

He gave her a look that she couldn't quite decipher. "So you want to go then?" he asked.

"Yeah, I really do. Besides," she continued. "If things go according to what I remember, Leli should be there. I'd love to see her." He face fell slightly. "Though, with all this Crow business, who knows?"

"This honestly was not in the story?" he asked quietly, and she shook her head.

"No. They were after Zev, yes, but remember, I'm not in the story. Just being here… it changes things, whether I want it to or not."

He nodded, sorry that he had dulled her mood with this talk. But, he would be able to now tell Hawke that he agreed that they should take the time to help Tallis.

They continued to talk as they prepared the food, and eventually their friends began showing up.

Hawke was one of the last to arrive, and Cat squealed happily at seeing both Anders and Sebastian accompanying him. She ran forward giving out hugs, for it felt far too long since she had spent time with either of them.

"Sit, sit!" she urged, as she led everyone into the kitchen. "Have some breakfast!"

She began rummaging through the cabinets, finding more bread and cheese and setting them on the table with the fruits and pastries. Fenris brought out wine and cups, and everyone began bringing in chairs from other rooms to sit in.

"It feels like you were expecting us, Little Dove," Varric said as he took a seat, and grabbed a pastry. "This is quite the spread."

"Well, we knew Hawke and Issy were coming back, but yes, we thought that perhaps others would find their way here as well. Though I didn't think it would be everyone!" she said with a grin as she moved around the room insuring everyone had a chair, before she too sat down.

She sat next to Anders giving him a grin that he returned. They began passing the food around, each taking some, as Fenris poured wine, and they passed the cups down to each other as well.

"Perhaps we should eat here instead of the Hanged Man from now on," Sebastian stated, much to Varric's shock.

"Those are fighting words, Choir boy," the dwarf said. "No offense Little Dove," he added.

"No offense taken. I think it would be a full time job to have meals like this ready every day." She glanced over at Sebastian with a smile. "No thank you."

"Can't blame me for trying," he replied. "It's delicious, by the way."

"Yes, thank you Cat," Aveline added, and the others were quick to add their own thanks.

"Oh stop it, and just eat," she answered.

"So Varric, what have you got?" Hawke asked, changing the subject, though he was enjoying seeing the smile in Cat's eyes again.

"From what I can tell, she's not yanking us around," he replied, and took a drink. "She means to steal something from that duke, but she's got a much bigger plan in place than what she is telling us."

"So, how do we find out what it is?" Hawke asked.

"Well..." Varric started and Hawke gestured him to continue. "She seems pretty interested in you, Hawke. I think that could have been exploited- if you weren't previously involved, that is." Hawke raised and eyebrow, but turned to give Cat a wink.

"Do you really need to know?" Aveline spoke up. "Can't you just agree to get her in, and be done with it? You'll cause enough of a distraction that she can steal whatever she wants to on her own."

"True enough," Hawke replied. "And it's not me… it's we."

"We what?" she asked.

"We will cause a distraction," he replied. "Because I want everyone to come along."

The noise level grew exponentially, as everyone began talking at once. Anders, Sebastian, and Aveline were quick to say why they couldn't go, while Merrill and Isabela were suddenly overjoyed at the thought. Varric began saying something to Cat and Fenris about the more the merrier, and finally Hawke yelled out.

"Quiet!"

The chatter stopped, though the yell had been amused, not angry. "I want everyone to come, because we'll be celebrating Cat's name day while we're there, and she asked if everyone could be there." He glanced over at Cat, seeing her smiling hopefully at the others. "Think about okay? I know she'll be sad if anyone isn't there with us."

"I'll need a few days to prepare," Anders said, changing his tune. "I'd want to get my clients what they need for while I'm gone."

"Donnic can cover for me," Aveline added. "But I'll need a bit of time to go over routines, and create a rotation for while I'm gone."

"I'll need to make sure the Grand Cleric won't need me as well, but I think I should be able to," Sebastian spoke up, and Hawke shook his head.

"I'm so glad to know that if I ask for myself, you wouldn't be able to make it, but for Cat, you easily find a way," he teased.

Aveline looked sheepish, but the other two merely smirked at Hawke.

"Hawke and I came up with a good distraction plan for the Crows as well," Isabela stated, with a wink to Cat. "We just need to fine tune it, but we'll be ready."

"How long of a trip is it?" Cat asked.

"About two days on horse," Hawke replied. "But if we walk straight through the day, probably more like four. "I'd say we should leave within five days. Then we can take our time and enjoy the trip. Does that work for everyone?" he asked.

Nods from all around the table, had Cat's excitement level rising again. "Thank you guys!" she said with a grin.

"I must say Cat, you seem much better than yesterday," Aveline said nonchalantly.

"Yes," she replied.

"So… uh… sleep well then?" Aveline asked, and Isabela laughed.

"If you want to know what happened, Lady man hands, just come out and say it," she teased.

Aveline scowled, but Varric spoke up. "I want to know, Rivaini," he said, even as he went for more food. "Care to tell? It looked like there was tension between our love birds."

"Oh, I get it!" Merrill said suddenly. "Because he's a hawk, and she's a dove. Birds!" she giggled.

"Well, uh, okay," Varric said shaking his head. "You got it, Daisy."

Cat smiled at Merrill, loving her innocent nature, even if she got jokes that weren't even made. "Yes, Issy," she said. "I'm interested to hear your take on things."

"Oh, then just sit back and enjoy," Isabela smirked. "It was epic, Varric, you should have seen it…"

Cat did as she suggested, and sat back, enjoying her breakfast with a story.