As she walked into the Hanged Man, Cat could scarcely believe how this dive of a tavern had become like a second home. She looked around as she entered, hoping to find the man she had been looking for the past few days. Smiling as she spotted him, she made a quick detour to speak with him before making her way to Isabela's room.

Cat followed behind Isabela as they then walked down the hall to Varric's room. "I wonder what this is all about?" she asked.

"No idea," Isabela replied. She opened the door to find almost all of their crew in the room. "But it seems as though this wasn't just a summons for us."

"It has been a few weeks since our last job," Cat said. "Perhaps Hawke finally has something lined up besides problems with the Qunari." They headed to the large table and took a seat to wait for Hawke to begin.

"I'm sorry Kitty," Isabela answered. "I know you've been bored lately. Between the relic, and the Qunari, there hasn't been much time for anything else."

"I didn't think it would be a big deal to stay out of those two messes," Cat replied with a smirk. "But everyone else has been involved with them, so I've been on my own lately."

"I thought you were spending your days with Anders and Olivia?" Isabela asked, even as she looked around the room for the healers.

"They haven't been home much themselves," Cat answered. "They are getting very involved in the mage underground. In fact, I've spent a few days with Cullen, and the mage disappearances were all I heard the templars talking about."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, obviously Cullen is looking for those that are helping others escape, but most of the recruits are spreading rumors about the mages learning to turn invisible or escaping through the fade."

"Preposterous," Fenris spoke up as he sat across from Cat.

"Hi Fenris," Cat greeted him. She had hardly seen him in days, as he spent most of his time with Hawke.

"Cat," he answered with a nod at her. "You've been spending time with the Knight Captain again?" he asked.

Cat nodded. Isabela handed her a cup of wine, and she turned with, "Thanks Issy," before taking a drink.

"No problem," came the reply.

Noting something behind her, Cat turned back the other way, just as Hawke reached out to get her attention. The shock of a large hand on her chest was enough to cause the wine to spew from her mouth as she jumped.

Those in the room went silent as they all looked over at Hawke, whose face was dripping with wine, and whose hand was on his own chest, as if it had been burned. Their eyes then went to Cat, who had an arm covering her chest, while her other hand wiped her gaping mouth.

"I…I'm so sorry Hawke!" Cat finally managed to squeak out. "I didn't mean…" she reached over to place her wine cup on the table, but missed. Hawke reached out just in time to keep it from falling, and Cat pulled her own hand back like it had been shot at.

Hawke steadied the cup on the table, grabbing the cloth that Varric handed him, and wiped his face. "My fault completely, I should be the one apologizing," he replied. He looked over at Cat's beet red face, and gave her a gentle smile. The only way to make this easier was to not make a big deal of it, he thought. "I didn't mean to startle you," he said.

"Uh, right… no problem," she muttered, hunching her shoulders in embarrassment.

"Well, I have to admit, the wine is good. Perhaps I'll have some more, in a glass this time," Hawke told the group, and they laughed good-naturedly.

"Coming right up," Isabela offered, pouring another glass. Hawke moved Cat's glass back in front of her before taking the proffered glass from Isabela and settling himself in his seat.

"I suppose you all have been wondering why we are here," Hawke started with a smile. The others took their cue and began finding places to sit.

"Kitty and I were guessing another job," Isabela offered.

"No, well… not at first anyway," Hawke replied.

"Uh, Hawke? Choir boy isn't here yet," Varric interrupted.

"He wasn't able to come, but that's all right," Hawke replied with a shrug. "Actually, Sebastian is what started me thinking about this."

Hawke took a moment to look around the room at all of his friends. "It isn't much, but with your pay this month, I wanted to include a small gift, just to let you each know how much I appreciate you. Not just the work you do, but for your friendship." He nodded to Varric, who handed him a small bag. "Now, these are nothing big, in fact, most of them were picked up along the way during jobs. But they made me think of each of you."

"Ooh, look at this," Isabela cooed. Cat leaned over to see the model ship.

"Hey, now you can introduce yourself as Captain again, since technically, you have a ship."

Isabela let out a throaty laugh. "Too right Kitty, though the sad part is I can't go for a sail." She pushed Cat back to lean over towards Hawke. "Thank you Hawke, for the sweet gesture," she said.

"My pleasure," Hawke answered with a grin.

Cat watched as the others opened their presents, whether delighted, such as Merrill and Varric, or needing some convincing as to Hawke's intentions like Aveline and Anders.

Merrill leaned over the table to show Cat her new sylvanwood ring, and asked what she had gotten. Cat followed her gaze down to the table in front of her to see a small package. Surprised, as she hadn't been expecting anything, she slowly opened it.

"What is it?" Isabela asked, as Cat pulled the amulet out of the box by its cord.

"Ooh!" Merrill exclaimed excitedly. "That's Master Ilen's work too!"

Cat turned to glance at Hawke in question, still holding the amulet in front of her. It wasn't a necklace like the small silver one she was wearing, but what looked like a large tooth encircled with a fine metal wire and attached to a long cord.

"It's called Fen'Harel's tooth," Hawke said to Cat in response to her look. "Master Ilen crafted it for a hunter. It helps to evade traps, as well as protect against the wildlife. I thought it was fitting since you are learning how to disarm traps, and well…spiders."

"Thank you, truly," Cat said with a smile. She moved to put it over her head, but found the cord too small to fit.

"Here," Hawke said, grabbing the cord and untying it. "Turn around," he said as he gestured for her to turn away, and she did so, lifting her braid away from her neck. It didn't take long, until he was finished, and looking down, she saw the tooth sitting right below her clavicle.

"It fits you," Merrill said as she turned back face forward.

"Thank you," Cat said once more. She then turned and repeated her thanks to Hawke. He gave her a smile and then cleared his throat.

"Now, let's get down to business," he said loudly, and they all quieted down. "I think we are all aware of how escalated things are becoming with the Qunari, so we won't speak of that," he muttered. "But there have been a few other developments. Varric?"

Varric cleared his throat, and told the group of getting rumors of Bartrand coming back to Kirkwall, and how he and Hawke had gone to see him. He spoke in disgust of the conditions of the home, as well as what the servant had said of Bartrand's behavior. Finally he told them of his brother's death.

Merrill gasped, but Cat had been expecting the news. She gave her condolences, and Varric waved them away. "He made his choice down in the Deep Roads," he said in response, but Cat could tell he hadn't quite made peace with himself over it.

Varric ended by telling them that he still hadn't been able to find the idol that Bartrand had brought out of the Deep Roads, and while they hadn't been able to make sense of most of what he said, it had sounded like he sold it.

"Hopefully, that's that, and we won't hear anymore about it," Hawke said. "Though I know I'm not that lucky."

"True," Varric said with a smirk. "Lucky is definitely not a term I would use for the likes of us."

"Anything else?" Hawke asked him.

"Actually, yes," Varric replied, shuffling through some papers. "These are the letters you asked me to go through. While several of them were nothing more than offers of work that would pay next to nothing, and a few pleas for help doing menial tasks, there were a few that looked promising…"

"Oh?" Hawke asked, as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Such as?"

"This one here, we already took care of, you know those groups of assassins we kept running into?"

"Wait, that wasn't a coincidence?" Hawke demanded.

"Not exactly," Varric replied. "Seems there is a fellow that decided to stretch the truth of some of his exploits, and before he knew it, he was given credit for several crimes in multiple countries. He's now on the run, trying to stay alive while assassins from all over Thedas are hunting him."

"Sounds like something that could happen to our own story teller," Isabela muttered to Cat, who chuckled.

"Any way…" Varric continued with a wink to Cat. "He's safe now, and gave us a reward for our help."

"All right," Hawke said.

"And then there is this one," Varric said, holding up a paper. "But I'll let the little dove explain."

All eyes turned to Cat who smiled widely at Varric. "I just finished on my way here," she said, "and we should see results today or tomorrow."

"Excellent," Varric answered with a matching grin.

"Are you going to tell us what it is?" Fenris asked Cat.

"Sure," she replied. She held out her hand for the letter, and Varric handed it to Hawke who passed it on to Cat. "We received this letter from a group of mages who are still anonymous," she began. "directing us to a woman in the docks named Mistress Selby. She has a legitimate business, but she also acts as a go between for mages and those that look to help them."

Cat looked over at Anders with a smile. "Apparently, her sister was a mage, and was made tranquil for reasons unknown. All that I could find out was that the templars claimed she was dangerous. This was many years ago, so there wasn't much I could discover. Mistress Selby however, says that her sister was one of the most gentle people ever born, and wouldn't even hurt a fly."

Cat continued on, as she could see the tension in Anders' face, as well as feel Hawke's next to her. "One task on her list you all completed, saving that mage girl from being sold by slavers out on the wounded coast." Several of the others nodded in response as they remembered. "However the other required more information. It asked that a templar be taken out."

"What?" Aveline questioned. "You're not seriously suggesting…"

"No, I am not," Cat interrupted her. "But before taking action of any kind, I wanted to find out more about the man. Since I was already spending time at the Gallows, it seemed a good opportunity to observe."

"And?" Hawke asked.

"And they were right," Cat replied. "Ser Conrad is one of the worst examples of a templar that I've ever seen. He doesn't care about what is right and wrong, he uses his power and authority to take what he wants from the mages, and has performed an astonishing amount of tranquility rituals."

Cat sighed. "I don't think I need to list all his crimes, but just suffice it to say, that even Cullen doesn't like the man. There have also been rumors that he has made several women tranquil because they refused his advances…" she looked up as Anders' hand banged on the table. "I could not verify that, but… I believe it. The man is disgusting."

Isabela grabbed her shoulder then, and looked in her eyes. "What did he do Kitty?" she asked.

"What?" Cat replied. "Nothing."

Hawke now pulled her other shoulder, turning her back. "What happened?" he insisted.

"Nothing, really." She caught all the skeptical glances. "I promise, he just was speaking to me, while Cullen got pulled away for something. Nothing happened, because Cullen came back."

"Would something have happened if he hadn't?" Varric asked shrewdly.

Cat's face became angry as she remember the sleazeball. "Yeah, he would have found several daggers sticking out of his body," she snarled.

She was relieved that after that they dropped it. She had been truthful, he was careful not to say anything directly, but he implied plenty, and she had felt dirty for hours afterward. But she also meant what she had said. Cullen coming back had saved him from his death, not saved her from anything.

"Needless to say, I've been working on a way of taking him out… of the templar order. Death would be too good for him, I'd rather see him disgraced and suffering."

"I'm so proud," Isabela said softly with a grin.

"You said earlier that you had finished?" Fenris asked.

"Yes," Cat answered with a grin for him. "I believe I've hammered the final nail in his coffin. Would you like the details?" she asked, to a unanimous agreement. "Then grab a drink, this may take a moment," she replied.

"I knew I'd need more than one crime, as one could be easily dismissed. But knowing Cullen, he would never let two serious accusations go, especially if there were witnesses. So, I started with the obvious, having lyrium delivered to the Gallows for him. I chose today, knowing that Cullen was teaching the recruits in the courtyard this afternoon."

"Clever…" Varric smirked at her.

"And the second?" Anders asked eagerly.

"The second… well I wanted to get some justice for those women. After Cullen chased off Ser Conrad, he apologized for his behavior, saying that he was just feeling stir crazy since he was confined to the Gallows. When I asked why, he told me that there had been accusations to his character, and he was to stay in the Gallows until an investigation was completed."

"You didn't…" Aveline said, though she was smiling.

"Of course I did," Cat stated. "Not only that, but the templar performing said investigation is quite lyrium-addled. I've spoken to him five times now, in different clothes and changing my hair, and he had no idea I was the same person. I gave witness of horrible acts that Ser Conrad was engaged in, mostly including livestock-"

She stopped as several of the men choked on their drinks, and Isabela started laughing loudly. "Maker's breath, Cat!" Anders spluttered.

"What?" Cat asked with a shrug. "He deserves it! Ser Roderick is no doubt heading back to the Gallows now with all his evidence to give to Cullen, and then the lyrium will be delivered in the courtyard in front of all the templar recruits and the Knight Captain…"

"And Ser Conrad will be denounced and thrown out of the templars," Hawke finished for her. "Cat… this was truly, amazing."

"Oh, well… I had plenty of time on my hands," she replied happily.

"A toast, to Cat!" Anders called out.

"Officially of course, I can't condone such things," Aveline said saluting Cat with her glass. "But as a citizen, all I can say is, well done."

"Agreed," Fenris added. "A fitting punishment for the crime."

"Good job little dove," Varric said.

"Wouldn't expect anything less from you," Hawke tacked on after Varric.

"You learned from the best," Isabela said with a wink. "Though you keep surprising me."

"Thank you Cat, for looking out for mages," Merrill said with a smile.

"Cheers!" they all said as they drank, and Cat laughed along with them.

Hawke let the merriment go as long as he could before steering the conversation back to business.

"Any other matters to discuss?" Hawke asked, and Anders cleared his throat.

"You remember the feeling of those tomes that we've been destroying?" Anders asked, and Fenris, Hawke and Merrill all nodded. "I've been feeling something that seems similar, in Darktown. I'd feel better if we looked into it."

"That can be arranged," Hawke said as he grabbed one of Varric's papers and made a note.

"There are also a few more gangs trying to take over the neighborhood again," Varric added, and Hawke made another note. "And one final letter asking you to use your skills in disposing of a few bodies."

"What?" Hawke asked in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"Unfortunately I am," Varric replied. "Though I am glad to hear you say that. That was one job I was hoping to refuse."

"Definitely a refusal," Hawke said with a roll of his eyes. "I swear, sometimes I feel as if I'm the entire city's nanny."

"Aren't you?" Isabela asked with a smirk, even as Aveline scowled at her. "Too many good deeds, and this is what you get."

"Shut up," Aveline said, though it only made Isabela smile.

"You're just mad because I'm right," she countered, and Aveline glowered at her, but said nothing.

"Very well, if that's all, take the rest of the day," Hawke said as he stood. "We'll meet tomorrow morning to go to Darktown."

Hawke stood and made his way away from the table, most of the others following his lead. Several went to speak to him, but Cat just stayed where she was to finish her drink.

"Well my friend," Fenris began and Cat smiled. Ever since their argument after he killed Hadriana, Fenris had been trying to understand the whole idea of friendship. After having that talk with Hawke, she never thought she'd have it again, but she had been surprised at the ideas and thoughts that Fenris had associated with the word.

In her mind, it was obvious that everything he had learned was from observing Danarius, who wouldn't actually have true friends, but she didn't point that out. She just gave countering examples, using Hawke and the others to demonstrate her point. After several days, and many, many talks with Hawke, Fenris had come to her with a hug. She was so happy she had started crying, which of course had him thinking that he had done something wrong…

They had come a long way, and she still grinned every time he called her friend, knowing what the word now meant to him.

"Yes?" she asked in reply.

"I'm glad we are doing something different tomorrow, so that you can accompany us," he said. "These last few days have been missing the levity you bring to our group."

"Hawke didn't try to tell jokes again did he?" she asked quietly, even as Fenris rolled his eyes.

"They are getting worse," he answered. "The other day he was making puns about how the wounded coast got its name."

Cat could see Aveline waiting a small distance away, and she waved her forward. She glanced at Fenris and Cat just smiled. "Don't worry, Fenris can keep a secret," she said quietly.

"I… uh, I just wondered how last night went?" Aveline asked.

"You mean when I invited Donnic to the Hanged Man, and you never showed up?" Cat asked quietly. "How do you think it went?"

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't do it," Aveline said as she look disheartened. "What did he say?"

"Uh, well… he thinks I'm interested in him, and tried to use you as a reason to get him alone with me."

Fenris chuckled, and Cat gave him a glare. "Perhaps you should just talk to the man?" he offered.

"I try, but I'm a mess," Aveline said. "The only time I'm comfortable is on patrol, but that's no place to have that type of conversation… and I'm tired of making a fool of myself."

"The answer is simple then, isn't it?" Hawke asked as he slid next to Cat on the bench.

"Uh… Hawke!" Aveline squeaked in surprise. "We were discussing some bandits…"

"You don't want my help?" Hawke asked with a pout, and Cat covered her mouth to keep from chuckling.

"No, I mean, of course I do… it's just that… uh…"

"Great!" Hawke replied, overlooking her stammering. "So here's my idea. You go on patrol with this Donnic, and we," he pointed around to Fenris and Cat, "will clear the way so you have time to talk. What do you think?" he asked.

Fenris and Cat looked to Aveline, seeing as she was trying to find the down side to Hawke's plan. Finally she smiled. "You're too good at this," she replied. "Are you free this evening?"

"And that's how we found ourselves roped into clearing out bandits on the wounded coast," Cat said to Varric.

"Thanks Little dove, but what I asked was, how did I get roped into this," Varric replied.

"Oh, that's easy," Cat replied. "You're nosy and wouldn't stop pestering us about where we were going, and eventually followed us out here."

"Oh, right," he said.

"Here we go!" Hawke called out, and they all rushed forward to deal with a group of bandits. Once finished, Hawke sent up a small fire, giving a flare to let Aveline know it was clear. They waited until they heard the conversation flowing up from below them, and Hawke gave a snort.

"What kind of conversation is that?!" he muttered, as he led the group further down the path.

It wasn't long until they encountered another group of bandits, and made quick work of them. Again, Hawke sent up a flare, and again, they waited for Aveline to catch up.

"A blade for every purpose, don't you agree?" they could hear Aveline say.

"Uh, I'm sorry Captain, I think I got lost in my thoughts," came the reply.

"In the nicest way possible, she's hopeless," Varric said quietly.

"Let's go," Hawke grumbled.

For the third time, Hawke's group took care of those that would cause trouble, and waited for Aveline. Hearing the conversation, Hawke stalked over to stand in the path, his face determined, and his arms crossed over his chest.

"Some one's going to get it…" Varric said in a sing song voice, causing Cat to giggle.

"She kind of deserves it," she agreed. "That isn't what we've practiced at all."

"You two practiced?" Varric asked, an eyebrow shooting up. "Do tell."

"Sorry, sworn oath to never tell," Cat replied, but smiled at his disappointed look.

Aveline and Donnic walked up, and seeing Hawke, she smiled nervously. "Hawke! What a surprise!" she said, and Hawke just glared at her.

"Aveline," he responded, scolding her with just her name.

"Hawke, don't," she replied.

"You'll feel better once it's done," he said.

Cat chose that moment to go over to Hawke. It wasn't that they had been hiding, but they also hadn't been noticed. She knew this would turn out well, I hope, she thought, but wanted to be as gentle as possible.

"What's going on?" Donnic asked, confused.

"Well, remember what you thought I was trying to get the nerve to tell you the other day at the Hanged Man? Aveline is actually trying to get the nerve to tell you that."

"Captain?" Donnic asked, as he turned to Aveline.

"Uh…huh, huh…." Her voice came out like a strangled laugh.

"I should get back to the barracks…" Donnic said, and strode off.

"That was unexpected," Hawke said, staring at the guard's back.

"Actually, that turned out rather well," Cat replied.

"How can you say that?!" Aveline demanded. "You two are going to the barracks right now to apologize and explain yourselves!"

"Aveline, I am more than happy to apologize and take responsibility, but I'm just saying, it isn't over."

"Oh yes it is!" she answered, hiding her embarrassment with anger.

"Aveline, this is a new idea for Donnic, and he probably hadn't given it much thought before since you're his captain. He just needs some time to process it," Hawke said, squeezing her shoulder.

"The barracks," she replied through gritted teeth. "Now."

The three of them set off, Cat worried, Fenris unconcerned, and Hawke hopeful, with a disappointed and sad Aveline walking behind them. Cat looked back, wanting to help her friend, but she merely shook her head at Cat, wanting to be left alone.

Please let this work out, Cat said to herself. For all our sakes.

Coming to the guard barracks, Cat was greeted by many of the guards, and Hawke by a few. Questions and conversations stopped mid sentence as Aveline herded them towards her office. Speculative looks followed them as the guards wondered what had happened.

Just before entering, Donnic stepped forward. "I'd like a word with the captain," he told them. "Alone."

Aveline looked nervous, but Cat grinned as inwardly she was jumping and shouting in victory. She gave Aveline a smile, knowing that very shortly, her friend would be even happier.