If anyone had said months ago that Cat would not only be friends with Hawke, but that they would bond by teasing Fenris… she would have laughed in their faces. However that is exactly what happened the next morning.

Hawke came by the mansion early, Undoubtedly, Cat thought, to have some of our food. The knock sounded at the door just as they were about to eat.

"Your timing is as impeccable as ever," Fenris commented as he opened the door to Hawke.

"Is it?" Hawke smirked. "Well, if you're inviting, I won't refuse."

Cat rolled her eyes, but got a third setting out for Hawke to join them for their meal. As the two made their way to the table, Fenris asked, "Do you not enjoy your food at home?"

"It's not that…" Hawke said as he looked away. "More that both Bodahn and Mother are insistent that we live as nobles now. It's far too extravagant. Can you imagine eating as if you were at a banquet for every meal?" he asked.

"I cannot imagine eating at a banquet at all," Fenris replied without emotion.

Hawke winced and began back pedaling. "Uh… I didn't mean… uh…"

"He's teasing you…" Cat whispered as she passed by Hawke to set the food down on the table. It wasn't much, but served their needs. Mostly fruits with a few muffin-type bread rolls, and cheese.

Hawke looked as Cat gave Fenris a glare before he realized that she spoke the truth. Two can play that game, friend… he thought.

"Besides that, it is of the highest compliment to eat at the home of a friend, but if you would rather I didn't…" Hawke said lightly, giving Cat a wink.

It was Fenris' turn to back pedal, looking over to Cat to verify Hawke's statement. She thought she might regret it, but decided it was only fair and gave Fenris a serious nod. "We're always happy to share a meal with you Hawke," she said kindly. "I'm sure not everyone is allowed such an honor…"

While she was exaggerating enough that Fenris could catch on, and Hawke's eyes narrowed on her face, Cat just kept her smile in place. Fenris immediately spoke of having Hawke over more in the future, and Cat shook her head once she wasn't being watched.

Hawke himself wasn't one to let a joke go on for too long, and eventually came clean to Fenris. The elf pretended to be outraged, but became sheepish as Cat and Hawke teamed up against him about his own teasing before that.

The two then began bringing up moments designed to unnerve the other, asking Cat to confirm how each had happened. The three ending up reminiscing and telling stories to each other of their individual adventures, laughing uproariously at their earlier ineptitude.

"We are meeting the others soon, are we not?" Fenris finally asked, steering the conversation away from a particular fight he had tried to have with a squirrel.

"We still have some time," Hawke commented. "What are your plans after Darktown?"

"I had not made any, you seem to get into enough trouble to keep us all busy," Fenris said with a smirk.

"I'd deny that, but we would all know I would be lying," Hawke retorted. "You, Cat?"

"I'm meeting with Cullen. I was going to ask to take Hafter, he misses seeing him." She stood and gathered the remains of the meal to clean up, heading out to the kitchen.

Hawke turned and grinned at Fenris. "So, the Knight Captain is not only trying to steal my rogue, but now my dog too?" He hollered so that she could hear him from the other room.

Cat hustled back into the dining room, her eyes wide. "Whaat?" she said. "He's not trying to steal anything! And I'm not your rogue!"

"Well, you are part of my crew, aren't you?" he asked as he examined his fingernail, pulling out a small knife to clean underneath it. "I just don't appreciate him trying to steal you away to become a templar."

"A temp- what in the world gave you that idea?" Cat said, standing with her hands on her hips, looking at him like he was insane.

Fenris wasn't slow, he knew what Hawke was doing, and he knew Hawke wanted him to help him do it. He just wanted to be sure Cat wouldn't throw a knife first. Then he decided, what fun would life be without a little risk?

"I think we're all aware of what the Templar wants…" Fenris added in a nonchalant voice, and Cat's gaze whipped to him in dismay. He kept his expression stoic, though he could see the glee in Hawke's.

"And what is that?" Cat asked tightly.

"Clearly the man is trying to steal away the mabari's affections, and is using you to accomplish this," he said in perfect deadpan.

Cat's jaw dropped open, and Hawke could no longer hold in his laughter, exploding with it. Cat glanced back and forth between the two of them, before smirking. "You realize what this means, don't you?" she asked Fenris, who looked at her in apprehension. "You," she pointed at Hawke, "will no longer be warned when he," pointing back to Fenris, "is teasing you." She walked over to Fenris, "and you!" she said as he stood to face her. "Are simply delightful!" she exclaimed as she gave him a hug.

"What?" Hawke complained. "I'm being punished, and he gets hugs?"

"Oh, no."

"No?" he asked her.

"He is no longer immune from teasing, and he'll regret it very very soon," she answered as she walked from the room to get her things. "We'd better get going!" she called.

The two men glanced at each other. "No wonder she never messed with you before," Hawke said. "Sorry about that."

"No need," Fenris replied. "I brought it on myself. Though I think I may enjoy the experience."

"I wouldn't count on that…" Hawke warned, as they took their leave.

"Did we really all need to be here?" Varric asked. "It's just another book, right?"

"No, well, maybe," Cat replied. "But we already destroyed all the tomes we were told about, so we're not really sure what we're dealing with here. Better to be safe, than sorry, right?"

In actuality, Cat knew exactly what they were dealing with, and had told Fenris and Anders to ensure that everyone was accompanying Hawke today. She had also explained that Hawke needed to read this book, not destroy it, which did not please either of them.

She had tried to explain about what had happened in the fade when they were saving Feynriel, and Hawke had received an upgrade- for lack of a better word- but Fenris held out that it had been evil magic. She had finally commented about more troubles coming, and Hawke needing every advantage he could get before Fenris relented.

Anders on the other hand, had entirely different reservations. Magic wasn't meant to be taught just by reading words, and he was convinced that Cat was somehow brainwashed and trying to brainwash others in turn.

She had looked in his eyes an told him that extremely bad things were going to happen, and while she wouldn't tell him what they were, he needed to trust that she was going to make right the things that she could. She wouldn't let him become friendless and alone.

Of course, that had opened an entirely new bag of worms, which she couldn't and wouldn't elaborate on. He then said he trusted her, but that she needed to understand that it wasn't always easy to do.

And now here they were, the entire crew, crawling into an underground cavern in Darktown. Cat was surprised that it didn't smell as bad as the rest of Darktown, and it almost seemed as if the passage was taken care of. By whom, she couldn't even begin to guess.

"So…" Isabela said, breaking the silence. "How did things go yesterday?" she asked Aveline. Aveline turned to Cat in dismay, and she shook her head. "No, Kitty didn't tell me," Isabela smirked. "She was loyally tight-lipped. The dwarf however…" she drawled.

Aveline turned to glare at Varric. "What?" he asked. "No one said it was a secret."

Aveline sighed hugely. "He's speaking to his family," she replied.

"About?" Isabela prodded. Aveline looked around hoping for help to get Isabela off her back, but everyone was looking at her expectantly, and she sighed again.

"It's a secret," she said with a tiny smile at everyone else's disappointment. "Since I have no family, his will handle the dowry."

"You're getting married?!" Hawke demanded.

"Not right this moment," Aveline said merrily. "But eventually… yes."

"I KNEW IT!" Cat hollered, and threw her arms around Aveline. "See? I knew you weren't hopeless!"

"That makes one of us," Isabela added on, smiling at Aveline's glare. "You almost did yourself in for a moment there," she said. "Good work."

The others gave their congratulations, and Aveline allowed it for as long as she could stand before ordering everyone back on task. Cat could see that she couldn't quite get rid of her smile however.

Opening a door, Anders held it open for the others to walk through, and the group found themselves in a large room with four large pillars. It was lit with torches lining the walls, and although it was clean, it also had the feel of a room that was abandoned many years ago.

Hawke stepped forward towards a large stand on which rested an open book. He glanced at it curiously before turning back to look at his crew. "So, are we ready to destroy it?" he asked.

There is no need for that…

Hawke, Anders and Merrill all stiffened with a quick inhale of breath, and the others looked at each of them in concern.

"What is it?" Sebastian asked quietly, eyeing the corners of the room, his bow in hand.

"Please tell me someone else heard that…" Hawke spoke up.

"No," was the collective answer.

"Balls."

"Uh...Yes," Anders said hesitantly.

"Yes!" Merrill exclaimed happily.

"Must be a mage thing…" Varric muttered.

"Thank the Maker, I thought I was crazy," Hawke said.

"You are darling," Isabela said. "But we like you that way."

"So… uh, what did you hear?" Cat asked.

"A voice… uh, I think, from the book?" Hawke replied, looking uncertain. "I know, I know," he said as several of his friends gave him an incredulous look. He stepped forward to look at the open grimoire, the pages larger than any he had seen before. He stared at it for a moment, before shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, only to stare at the pages once more.

"Hawke?" Aveline asked.

"It's strange…" Hawke replied, still looking at the page. "When I try to concentrate on the words, they swim around on the page. I can't actually read anything that is written here!"

"What?" Aveline asked in disbelief before stepping forward to look at the page.

There is a power that comes with the words…

"There it is again!" Hawke said, looking around and finally back at the book. Merrill was slowly stepping forward, while Anders was increasing his distance.

I will give you this knowledge in exchange for a promise…

Hawke glared at the book, wary of a trap.

"Oh Hawke, let's do it!" Merrill cheered excitedly. "Just imagine what we can learn!"

"What's going on Daisy?" Varric asked.

"The book," Anders interrupted. "It says it will give power by way of knowledge, in exchange for a promise." He too then stepped closer to the group, still staying far from the book as he could. "Don't do this Hawke. The promise will not be something you will like."

"You can't know that," Merrill said angrily. "We should do it!"

"But what is the promise?" Varric asked, and Hawke shrugged.

"I haven't a clue, but I won't make deal without knowing my side of the bargain,"Hawke replied. He cocked his head as he listened to something, and those that weren't mages felt frustrated in not being able to hear what he obviously could.

"Apparently, the book simply wants a promise to leave it alone afterwards," Hawke finally said.

"If that were it, I wouldn't have a problem," Varric commented. "But can that truly be all?"

"What about the other books we encountered?" Aveline said. "Did they offer this same bargain?"

"Apparently so, but I think only Merrill could hear it," Cat reasoned.

"Which means it has something to do with blood magic," Fenris sneered.

"Then let me do it," Merrill shot back. "I'm not asking anyone else to take this bargain."

"I can't do that Merrill," Hawke replied. "If anyone is going to do this, it will be me." He turned around to face his crew. "I'll be honest, I'm feeling conflicted about this, and I'd like to know where you all stand." He started to his right, looking at Merrill.

"You should do it," she said immediately. Looking next at Sebastian, who replied almost as quickly.

"You should not."

Hawke turned to Fenris, who looked down, then glanced over at Cat. He then very quietly said, "I agree… with Merrill."

Sebastian looked at him in shock, as did several others. Hawke even seemed surprised, but concealed it well, looking over to Cat.

"I think so too, it seems worth the risk," she answered his silent question.

"Honestly, I don't care either way, but getting something from these books seems reasonable," Isabela said next.

"I'll follow your decision Hawke," Varric spoke next, "but if it were me, I don't think I would do it."

Hawke nodded, and looked at Aveline who shook her head. "It's too dangerous," she replied. "Too many things could go wrong."

Hawke nodded again, and turned finally to Anders. He looked conflicted, though if Hawke were to guess, he would say Anders was disgusted by the tome entirely. His friend finally looked up and met his eye. "It could be dangerous, it's true…" he replied staring at the tome. "But it could also be worth the risk. It seems the book simply wants to exist, nothing more."

If Hawke was surprised by Fenris, he was bowled over by Anders' words. With this new information, his decision became all the more difficult, but after a moment, he decided that his friends were right. It was a dangerous idea, but…

"I'll do it," he said, turning back to the tome. "Be ready though… uh, just in case."

They all pulled out their weapons, and some of them turned around, creating a semi circle around Hawke, some watching him, and others the room around them.

"If it's anything like the other tomes, we'll have a fight on our hands…" Cat warned.

Hawke stepped forward to look at the pages. "You have my word," he said aloud. "You will be left in peace." After he spoke, he found the effect of the words on the page was gone, and the words began coming almost faster than he could read them. He grabbed onto the podium, focusing with all his might to read the words as they danced across the page.

Hawke suddenly grabbed either side of his head. It wasn't painful, not in the normal sense anyway. It was as if knowledge was being burned into his mind, searing through his skull. It was not a comfortable feeling.

"Hawke?" He could hear someone ask, and he opened his eyes, feeling more powerful… stronger… than he had just moments ago. He also found that he couldn't even bear to look at the tome, and quickly turned away from it.

They all tensed as they heard the roaring of a rage demon as it sprung out of the ground, and readied their weapons.

"Rage demon!" Anders shouted.

"Abominations!" Isabela called, even as she disappeared.

"Rage! Here too!" Sebastian yelled as he began firing.

"DESIRE DEMON! Cat called out in terror, even as the demon grabbed her arm and threw her away from the group, sailing over the floor to follow.

"I am no mere demon…" it purred at her, as it advanced, and Cat searched around for incoming help, only to find everyone fighting for their lives against the other demons. "I am the all-powerful Xebenkeck! You will submit!"

"NO!" Cat screamed, scuttling back across the floor, trying to get away. She watched in horror as the face of the demon began morphing into faces that she knew. Some that were here in the room with her, and some that she had even started to forget.

"What is it that you desire my pet?" It crooned to her. "I will bring all your desires to life…"

"NO! NOOO!" Cat howled, wanting to simply crawl into a corner and hide. She couldn't stop herself from screaming, but she could still fight back!

Grabbing blade after blade from where she had them stashed on her person, she threw each with deadly precision, causing the demon to falter. When she was down to her last blade, she paused to gather her strength.

The demon, bleeding and gory, and wearing the face of her best friend from her old life, loomed over her, and she burst forward, tackling the creature as it fell back. She was no looming over it… and she screamed again and again as she struck over and over with her small throwing knife.

Hawke was panting, his arm hanging limp by his side from a wicked slice from demonic claws. He glanced around, seeing several of his crew out cold on the ground. He hoped desperately that they were alive. He looked over at Cat, her mouth open in a continuous scream, even though her voice had given out.

He saw the gory mess beneath her, and watched as it dispersed away, the small blade she had clinking over and over against the stone floor that she now lay on.

"Cat…" he uttered, knowing there was no way she heard him, he started making a slow and painful way to her. "Cat…" he murmured again, trying to raise his voice over the sound of her blade against the stone.

"Cat!" he heard Fenris call from where he had collapsed against a wall, and saw as he struggled to stand. "Stop! It's gone now!"

He finally was to her, and reached out his good hand, clasping onto her shoulder.

And he grimaced as she turned and buried her knife into his leg.

"Maker's balls Cat!" he groaned as he fell over. It seemed to snap her out of it, and she rushed over to him, asking in a hoarse voice if he was all right, and apologizing so rapidly that he couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"Help me up," he muttered to her, and putting his arm around her shoulders, she slowly stood, helping him to do the same. He started moving, though it was very slow going, and Cat struggled just to keep him upright.

After an amount of time that he couldn't begin to guess at, they made it over to Fenris. Hawke used his good arm against the wall to keep himself up, telling Cat to sit. She looked at him in confusion.

"I said sit," he replied, starting to get annoyed. "Let Fenris help you," he continued. "I need to find Anders."

"I can…" she started in her hoarse voice before he interrupted.

"No, you can't," he stated harshly, and she looked away as she sank down next to Fenris.

Fenris glanced at her in worry before turning to Hawke. "The mage is over there," he said quietly showing the direction with a nod of his head. "He… got in the way of a strike meant for me…"

Hawke nodded gratefully, and turned, continuing to utilize the wall as he made his way toward the prone body of the healer. His plan hinged on Anders now, if he could make it to him… he could hopefully heal him enough that he would in turn be able to stabilize the others. Then, Maker willing, and after some rest, they could make it to the clinic… he hoped.

Fenris and Cat watched Hawke limp away slowly, both of them feeling like a failure and useless to their friend. Fenris gathered Cat close with an arm over her shoulder, wincing as the movement stretched the gash on his back.

"Are you all right?" Cat croaked.

"I will be," he responded quietly. He turned his gaze to meet hers. "Are you going to explain what that was?" he asked, nodding in the direction she has come from.

"What what was?" she replied. "I killed the demon… I think," she said as she glanced over at the floor.

Fenris arched his brow in disbelief. "You completely ignored every other enemy, didn't so much as acknowledge when your friends called out to you, lost every weapon except a tiny blade, which you kept stabbing into the floor long after the demon was dead, and then put said blade into Hawke."

Cat's eyes widened as she surveyed the room. "Issy…" she uttered gruffly, moving to escape from his hold, but he held on tightly.

"She isn't dead, just wounded," he said, and she relaxed slightly. "Hawke is working on Anders now, and hopefully he will able to help the others. For now, just rest. Get your strength back."

Even wounded as he was, Cat was no match for his strength and knew she couldn't get away, though she couldn't seem to muster the energy. So she gave in, and relaxed against him, letting her mind review what she could remember about the fight with the demon.

The faces… I remember that, she thought to herself. But… how long was that?

"If I remember correctly," she muttered, turning into Fenris so that he could hear her, "there should have been multiple abominations, rage demons and even a revenant? Along with Xebenkeck?" she asked as she looked up at him.

His brow rose again. "You knew the demon's name?" he asked.

"It may have been mentioned," she muttered with a shiver.

"Yes, there were all of those, as well as some shades and another revenant," he answered, and her eyes widened in shock.

"How did I miss all of that?!" she said, though mostly to herself.

"I would like to know that as well," he muttered.

They sat there for hours, as Hawke slowly healed Anders. He had to wait for his mana to replenish healing bit by bit of his injuries and waiting for more mana in between. Once Anders awoke, they both rested for another hour, before Anders started working on Hawke's injuries.

Anders glanced over at Cat in question as he pulled the small blade from Hawke's leg and healed the puncture. He and Hawke then helped each other up and made their way to Fenris and Cat.

Cat just shook her head as Anders reached for her. "Help the others," Fenris said so that Cat could continue to rest her abused throat. "We have been awake the entire time, our injuries are not as severe."

Anders nodded, and helped Hawke to sit next to them, before making his way to the next of the fallen.

Cat looked over at Hawke, whose eyes were closed. She wanted to ask how he was, but it was fairly obvious he was in rough shape, even after the healing. She looked him over, wondering if his leg was healed. She had never stabbed a friend before today, and didn't like the feeling.

"I'm fine," Hawke said, though he didn't open his eyes.

The hours of not speaking had done wonders for her throat, but you couldn't tell by her voice. "Yes, you look perfectly fine," she muttered sarcastically.

Hawke opened his eyes this time, and reached out for her. His hand covered her throat, and she could feel his magic before she realized what he was doing. She tried to push him away, but he was already moving his hand off of her.

"Why… would you waste your energy on that?!" she demanded softly.

"It was purely selfish, I assure you," he replied, closing his eyes once more. "Hearing you sound like a frog was annoying."

Fenris chuckled beside her, stopping mid laugh to cough harshly before finally settling back again.

"No jokes… please," he muttered.

"No more, you have my word," Hawke replied. "A story would be nice though… to pass the time?"

"A story?" Cat asked, surprised.

"Yes," Hawke answered. "I'll let you choose, though I would like to hear why the desire demons affect you so."

Cat glanced up at Fenris, who gave her a look and a nod. They were her friends… right? she thought.

"This… is my home."

Hawke opened his eye, peeking out at Cat, her words confusing him. She wasn't looking at either of the men at her sides, but staring out at the room, seeing something else than what was in front of her. He didn't speak, just waited for her to continue.

"However, is wasn't always so. That home is gone now… I'm sure you both can relate."

Hawke nodded slightly, knowing just what that displacement felt like… starting over again.

"To myself, I often think of that as my old life, and this… Ferelden and Kirkwall… as my new life, since I started a new life here." Cat sighed, not really wanting to continue, but knowing she owed them some sort of explanation.

"I don't quite understand it, but the desire demons have a way of reaching in and pulling out things that I didn't even know that I desired. People from my old life, that I had forgotten… regrets of things that I wished I could change…"

"That is the same for all of us," Fenris said softly. "That is what desire demons do."

"Each time though…"

They waited again, for Cat to find the words she wanted to use.

"I don't know if they are stronger… or if I just want to give in… but each time is harder to resist… … … even knowing that what I want… isn't real."

"Do you… want to talk about it?" Hawke asked.

Cat pondered that for a few moments. "I suppose it couldn't hurt," she replied. "At first, it was simple things. Showing me Fenris or Anders because they weren't there at the time, and I wished they were."

Fenris nodded, though he had startled when he had first heard his name. "And then?" he asked.

"Then… people from that old life. My parents, brother, and sister… friends that I had."

She paused again. "People that I've lost… my friends from Ferelden, or from the shipwreck… here with me… alive and happy."

"I'm sorry…" Hawke said quietly. "What about…?" he stopped, shaking his head.

"What?" she asked, looking over at him.

"Nothing… I don't want you to have to relive painful memories."

Cat frowned, uncertain of what he could be meaning. "I'm not sure what you mean," she said. "They were unsettling, yes, but not painful."

"It mentioned… your husband?" Hawke said, feeling guilty to have brought it up.

"Oh… right," she replied. "Part of that other life, and no longer painful," she said with a self depreciating smile. "He had left long before I came here."

"Wait, what?!" They both said as they tried to sit up.

"Don't aggravate your injuries!" she scolded them instantly.

"What. Do. You. Mean. He. Left?" Fenris ground out.

"How is that important?" she asked. "It's in the past."

"So you were married?" Hawke asked, his curiosity burning.

Cat sighed. "Yes, I was. Emphasis on was. As in no longer."

"Oh, he died. I'm very sorry."

"Ugh," Cat groaned. "Obviously I need to explain this. Look… where I come from, just as a couple can decide to get married, they can also decide to get… unmarried."

She stopped as both of them turned to glare at her demanding a better explanation with their expressions.

"It's a very long story, which I will not be telling. We were not happy, and decided to stop being married. There was a legal process, and I was no longer married. Long before I even met either of you."

"But… the demon…" Hawke said confused.

"Like I said… regrets." She sighed again. "It doesn't matter now. In the end, I knew it wasn't real, no matter how much I may have wanted otherwise. Obviously this time… I was weak, and gave in."

"What?" Fenris asked, looking at her like she was crazy. "You killed it, you did no such thing."

"Evidently that is not true. In the end, certainly. But in order to have lost that much time… and not heard any of the fights around me… I must have been- - at least listening to its offer."

They went back to silence, understanding now what she was saying.

She looked down, feeling a hand on her arm, and looked up to its owner, seeing Fenris smile at her. She felt another on her other arm, and looked over to Hawke, who was also smiling kindly.

"Evidently…" he began, "you also got yourself out of whatever it held you in, and were angry enough to continuously stab it out of existence. Everyone else is alive, and if not well, will be soon enough." He gave her arm a squeeze. "Give yourself a break from the guilt," he said, and let her go, closing his eyes again, signaling the end of the discussion.

Cat looked back to Fenris who smirked at her. "Seems our illustrious leader has spoken," he said with a smirk. "Best not to argue with a mage, after all."

Cat finally felt herself able enough to relax, letting go of the feelings she had been nursing the entire time since the fight. "Sorry about the stabbing thing," she muttered, closing her own eyes to rest.

"That little thing?" Hawke replied. "Can't even call that a stab… more like a poke."

"I'll remember to use my bigger blades next time," she murmured.