"Now who's being reckless?" Isabela asked wryly.

"You asked for time, and I gave it," Cat answered tersely. "But I'm not going to hide up here, especially not alone."

"Sit down Cat, you're making us all dizzy," Aveline groused.

Cat stopped her pacing inside the tent, but she couldn't sit. "Look, I realize that I told Cullen to leave and that I stopped speaking to him, but that doesn't mean I stopped caring," she explained to them. "I can't just let them do… whatever it is that they're doing to him."

"I agree," Aveline nodded. "But running off without a plan is a good way to get yourself killed."

"From what you're telling me," Cat said with narrowed eyes, and arms crossed, "having me show up at the Gallows will actually ruin whatever scheme is already in motion."

"I hate to repeat myself, but he didn't even know who I was and showed no sign that he recognized your name," Isabela reminded her. "For all you know, you could show up there and he'd either not know you or see you as some sort of abomination and try to kill you."

Cat glared, but she was taking the thought seriously. "Do you really think it was that bad?" she asked hesitantly.

"We don't know," Charade replied with a sigh. "Hence the problem we're having."

"We're trying to deduce what the scheme could be, but it only leaves us with more questions," Aveline added.

"You don't know, uh… thought of anything that would help, Cat?" Merrill asked tentatively, and Isabela gave her a sharp look.

"No," Cat answered, frustrated. "I mean, yes, I've heard of the effects of lyrium on the templars. Part of why they use it, is to forget the horrors that they witness when fighting abominations."

Now she sat, feeling discouraged. "But what horrors could Cullen have witnessed that ties to us?" she asked, looking at Isabela, who shrugged. "And how much lyrium was he given to completely forget someone he has known for years?"

"It's not as if we were all that close…" Isabela spoke up, frowning.

"I think it may be… smarter," Charade started, giving Cat a grimace, "to wait for Hawke to return." She paused, holding her hands up to stave off Cat's argument. "Just… hear me out?" she asked.

Cat's brow was furrowed, but after a moment, she nodded.

"Hawke has been a much bigger part of the Knight Captain's life over the past few years, and unlike yourself… he won't be seen as the threat that you would," she explained.

"We don't even know how much longer Hawke will be gone," Cat argued. "Who knows what would happen to Cullen in that time?"

There was silence, as the other women had no good rebuttal to that. "Can't we simply get him out of the gallows?" Cat asked them. "Like bringing him to interview someone about a possible mage sighting?"

"I couldn't even get him to speak to me privately," Aveline reminded her. "It's as if he has lost all connection to us."

Cat looked up at her friends, moving her eyes from one to the next. "Regardless, I am not staying here," she declared. "I won't do anything about Cullen, not until we're agreed, but I won't sit here and wait for something awful to happen."

She glanced over to Isabela. "Do you think Nyssa and Merrill would be up for some undercover work?" she asked with a smirk.

Isabela's lips curved into a sly smile. "I think that could be arranged," she replied. "Though I think perhaps Merrill wouldn't blend as well as you may hope."

"Let's ask her then," Cat said, standing up. She merely smiled at Charade and Aveline's confused expressions.

"I can't stand it anymore!"

The men all turned to give Hawke a glance, though most merely continued on with what they were doing.

"A bit dramatic there, aren't we brother?" Carver muttered.

Hawke paced around the campsite, wondering what had gotten into his friends. "Seriously!" he declared. "What is the matter with all of you?!"

"I can't speak for everyone Hawke," Varric spoke up. "But as for myself, I'm just tired."

Hawke looked over to his friend, noting the shadows under his eyes, and his haggard appearance.

"Is that all it is then?" he asked, concerned. "The weariness of travel and fighting?"

They didn't respond, as most were already in their bedrolls. He looked critically from one to the next. I suppose that could be the reason… he thought.

It had been troubling him all day, how the group had just walked away from the prison without a word. Then through hours of travel through the wastes, no one had spoken, just trudged along.

He had tried to spark some conversation, but nothing. He poked and prodded into their lives, hoping for a reaction of any sort. He had even risked his life to ask Fenris about his love life- only to see the elf's tattoos flare up from where he walked in front of him, though he hadn't turned.

Hawke had quickly dropped the subject.

But now, an entire day had passed, and still no one spoke to each other. It was starting to worry him.

He looked around again, determining to take first watch… not that they all gave him a choice… "Get some rest everyone," he ordered the already sleeping men.

His voice dropped into a murmur, as he moved away from the camp to a large rock he could perch on. "Hopefully that cures whatever this is."

Hawke awoke with the sun shining in his face, grateful that Duran had taken over the watch halfway through the night. He felt rested, and ready to demand answers from his friends.

He sat up, glancing around at the soft voices he heard, and saw that everyone was sitting around a campfire, eating and talking to each other.

Must have just been weariness after all, he thought, relieved. They really had me worried there.

"Hungry Hawke?" Anders asked, and Hawke gave a nod, gratefully taking the plate of food he was offered. He adjusted himself slightly and began eating as he looked around again.

His eyes narrowed at seeing the look of Fenris' face. He looked deeply suspicious and was inspecting each of their warden companions before moving on to the next. Hawke wondered what had happened and turned to see Duran doing the same.

"Whub-" he stopped, forcing himself to chew and swallow before trying again. "What's going on?" he asked Duran.

Duran turned and gave Hawke a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "We're having breakfast," he answered.

Hawke frowned. "That's not what I meant, and you know it," he said.

"It's nothing," Duran replied giving a groan. "I suppose I'm merely wondering how I'll explain all this to Weisshaupt."

"The Warden Headquarters?" Anders asked in surprise. "Why tell them at all?" his nose scrunched in disgust.

"It's not like they ever share important information with us," Nathaniel mumbled.

Alistair gave his comrade a glance, before speaking up. "We try to be better than the Wardens that give us grief. Maybe they'll learn from our example." He glanced at Nathaniel again when he heard his scoff. "I said, maybe."

"Any other wardens that come here to check the seals will probably assume that the monster escaped," Duran explained. "We don't want to cause a panic."

"Will we have to travel there?" Carver asked.

"Didn't you say they tried to send delegations to Ferelden after the blight to determine what had happened?" Nathaniel added. "Wouldn't they just do the same now?"

"Yes, but as there is no physical evidence, I doubt that will happen again," Duran replied. "You did burn the corpse, right Hawke?" he asked, his eyes penetrating as he looked at the mage.

"I told you I did," Hawke answered, confused and starting to get annoyed. "How many times must I say it, for you to believe me? That monster is gone."

"I apologize," Duran said, looking away. "I hope you're right..." he murmured.

"We should get moving," Nathaniel grunted, as he stood. "I want to be far from here."

"You and me both, Shade," Varric said, giving the archer a smirk when he glanced down at him. "I'll clean up, if you and Junior will pack up?" he offered.

If Nathaniel's look caught him off guard, then Carver's glare disturbed him. But Varric just shrugged it off, thinking he had better come up with another name for the younger Hawke. He didn't want to be skewered in his sleep, if the glare he had gotten was any indication of how Carver felt about it.

"Are we going to talk about this at all?" Hawke wondered aloud.

"No," Duran replied, as he stood. "I think it's better if we don't."

"Why?" Hawke asked, stuffing his mouth quickly since the others were all moving.

"You all know far too much already," Duran said, shaking his head. "Talking it over will lead to more questions that we can't- and won't- answer. It's better to just leave it as it is."

Hawke kept eating as the others moved about their tasks. He didn't agree, but he couldn't force his view on the wardens.

Looks like the trip back will be fun… he groaned to himself.

"It's strange," Merrill said, as the five of them walked away from Sundermount.

"What's strange?" Isabella asked.

"When Cat told us that we were going home," Merrill answered.

"What's strange about that?" Charade asked, bewildered.

"Before meeting Hawke, I would have said that my home was with the clan," Merrill said, frowning. "I don't really want to call Kirkwall my home though," she added with a scrunch of her nose.

Cat smiled at her back. "Perhaps it's more a feeling of being home with our crew, rather than the city," she suggested. Merrill turned to give her a bright smile, and a nod.

"I know not everyone will stay in Kirkwall," Aveline spoke up. "But it is my home now, for better or worse."

"I couldn't ever call a city home," Isabela stated. "Settling down is too boring."

"Having a home base doesn't mean you can't have adventures," Charade said, before a fight broke out. "Look how long you've been in Kirkwall already!"

"Too long," Isabela muttered, though she gave Cat a wink.

"I bet Leandra will be trying to get Charade to settle down soon," Cat said, teasing the younger woman.

Charade gave Cat a dry look. "That's been happening since we met," she replied. "I've managed to avoid the nice men she wants me to meet." She rolled her eyes. "Though, I think she's gotten Father on her side. On our last visit, he tried to tell me the good things about being a noble."

"Oh really?" Cat said, covering her mouth with a hand, so her laughter wouldn't get out.

"I blame you for this," Charade glared, though good-naturedly. "If you and Hawke would simply get married, she'd forget about me."

"Maybe for a little while," Cat agreed. "But right after the wedding, you'd be her only focus."

Charade sighed. "That's true." She shrugged then and turned to give Cat a smile. "I guess I won't push you about getting married then."

"Appreciate that," Cat answered.

"Push you?" Aveline asked, surprised. "But I thought Hawke didn't want to get married either?"

"He doesn't," Cat replied with a rueful smile. "But Charade seems to think that I could convince him."

"Cousin will do anything for her," Charade added, smirking at Isabela in a private joke. "She just needs to give him a little pout," she demonstrated, puffing out her lower lip to Aveline, and giving her a wide-eyed pleading look. "And he'll do anything."

Aveline snorted, realizing that the rogues weren't wrong. "You're probably right," she said nodding. "But then again, Cat's the same."

They all ignored Cat's noise of protest, as Aveline continued. "Hawke just has to lift something heavy in his arms, and she is putty in his hands," she explained, giving an impression of a girlish giggle. "Ooh Hawke, whatever you need!" she imitated, and the other women burst into laughter.

"Hey, that's not true!" Cat denied, though she shrunk back to muttering, when they turned to look at her in question. "I mean, not really…"

The group continued to laugh and tease as they walked down the mountain, eventually talking about where the men were, and if they were enjoying their man trip.

Varric looked around in confusion. Something had been nagging him for the past few hours, but once he started paying closer attention, he realized that the men around him were acting strangely.

Carver was grumpy, but that wasn't new. The fact that he was silently brooding was odd, though Varric could only be grateful for the reprieve from the complaining.

Nathaniel was grumpy and brooding as well, though he was voicing his displeasure every time someone tried to speak to him. That in itself wasn't much different, though Varric hadn't seen the archer hold onto such a mood for so long before he had snapped out of it.

Varric turned to look at the large warrior, deciding that one reason Nathaniel was dour was that Alistair was as well. The big man was usually smiling and looking at the silver lining- but now he seemed to be acting like the other two- silently brooding.

The dwarf pondered what could have happened while they were fighting the insane darkspawn monster, to make these wardens seem so burdened. He glanced over to Duran, seeing the concern he held reflected on the leader's face.

And what is up with Broody?! he wondered, turning slightly to see the warrior behind the group. He had taken to carrying his sword in his hand, resting it on his shoulder as they trudged through the wastes, as if waiting for some enemy to appear. Not only that, but he kept away from everyone else, and won't even talk to us…

"Hawke?" Varric asked softly. "What's going on?"

Hawke looked down at his friend, wishing he had an answer. He was glad that he wasn't the only one that was wondering though.

"Everyone seems very… tense?" Sebastian added from his other side.

Hawke looked to each of the tainted men that walked ahead of them, grateful that for the moment they were spread out as they were.

"I wish I knew," Hawke murmured. He knew Fenris could hear them, but the wardens merely kept walking. Hawke looked over at Anders, seeing the severe frown on his face, and taking in his haggard appearance. "It's like they know something we don't," he added.

"Some warden thing, you think?" Varric asked.

"More than likely," Hawke replied, looking at Varric, and giving a shrug. "Especially since they won't talk about it." He looked over to Anders once again. "At this point, I'm not sure I want to know."

"So?" Cat asked, as soon as Nyssa and Merrill walked in.

"Are you going to let us in first?" Nyssa asked, and Cat nodded, moving out of the way to let them in.

"I'm sorry," she said, her nerves tight. "My mind has been conjuring all sorts of explanations for what's going on, and I'm hoping that its nothing quite that serious."

Nyssa and Merrill both gave her sad smiles, as they came in and sat down in the main room. Cat took a moment to call Isabela in from the kitchen.

"You were gone longer than we thought you would be," Isabela said as she came into the room, munching on an apple and flopping into another chair. "Was it just horrible?" she asked.

"I was very nervous," Merrill answered, and Cat could hear the tremble in her voice.

"Are you all right?" Cat asked, concerned.

"Yes," Merrill answered, smiling. "Thank you. It was fine, just scary."

"Those templars are something else," Nyssa added. "Merrill wasn't the only one that was nervous."

"So, what happened?" Isabela asked.

"There wasn't much we could find out about the commander," Nyssa replied. "There really aren't many elves there, besides those that are mages. It seems that they use the tranquil for their servants."

"Really?" Cat and Isabela shared a glance, frowning.

"And it was just so… depressing!" Merrill exclaimed. "No one smiled, and I know because I was trying to find just one, and I couldn't!"

"That does sound bad," Isabela replied, patting Merrill's hand in consolation.

"Basically, everyone is afraid to do anything that they aren't expressly told to do, for fear of being made tranquil," Nyssa declared. "The only whispers I heard were about how crazy the Knight Commander has become."

"That's not new either," Isabela said, glancing at Cat's furrowed expression.

"Well, thanks for trying," Cat added.

"Give me a little credit," Nyssa replied, giving them a smirk. "I decided to take a chance, and asked some templars about Cat, saying that I was an old friend, and trying to locate her and knew she was friends with the Knight Captain."

"You did?!" Cat asked, incredulous. "Nyssa, that was dangerous!"

"Yeah, but I didn't want to have to go back there if we came back empty handed." She sighed and scrunched her nose in disgust. "And you're not going to like it."

"Just spit it out," Isabela griped.

"Apparently," Nyssa drawled, pointing her finger at Cat, "you're dead."

Cat frowned. "I'm dead?" she echoed. "Just how do they figure that?"

"Some big fight with some escaped mages," she explained giving them a shrug. "The templar that told me didn't have many details, only that the body was so ravaged that they couldn't identify who it was."

"They made the mages tranquil and then interrogated them," Merrill added. "And they said it was you."

"I'd say it was just mistaken identity, but combined with Cullen's memory loss, and Charade hearing about people wanting to kill me, it's making a sick sort of sense," Cat said, feeling ill. "What could anyone possibly gain from this?" she asked in aggravation.

"Char had some thoughts on that," Isabela replied. "Though no proof. But I think you both have the right idea by trying to see who would actually gain from this."

"You mean besides Meredith?" Cat asked snidely.

"Like I said," Isabela responded calmly, "no proof." Then she smiled. "Not that I actually care about that."

"Don't go running over there without a plan," Merrill said in alarm. "Seriously Cat, that is a bad place."

"Merrill's right," Nyssa agreed. "The templars would cover for each other, and you'd be as good as dead for real," she said as she shook her head. "We need a plan."

"Charade may have been right then," Cat said, her hands clenched into fists, as she tried to calm down. "We should probably wait for Hawke to get back."

"It's taking longer than they said," Isabela frowned. "What happened to a week or two?"

"No idea," Cat replied, her thoughts tumultuous. "Must have been harder than we originally thought."

Duran continued to help pack the campsite up, putting off the words until the last possible moment.

"Well Hawke, this is where we say goodbye," he said putting a fake smile on his face. "I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for the Wardens."

"You aren't coming back to Kirkwall?" Hawke asked with a frown, looking at each of them. "Mother was hoping to see Carver again, and I know Cat will want to see each of you."

"I'm afraid we can't," Duran answered, looking to his men. He thought he would see disappointed looks, but he was mistaken, and it made him even more uneasy.

"Well, it's not unexpected," Varric replied, hefting his pack on his shoulders. "This is pretty big news in the Wardens' world after all." He nodded to them and offered, "have a safe journey home."

"And you as well," Alistair answered. "Watch out for those genlocks, right?" he gave Varric a smirk.

"I never forget my debts," Varric replied with a twin smirk, "Hero."

"Ugh, that nickname has to be the worst," Alistair replied, as Hawke and Duran chuckled at him.

"Well, it's hard to think anything else when you literally saved my life," Varric answered with a shrug. "Plus, the fact that you made such a fuss makes it more fun." He smiled as the big warrior rolled his eyes. "Seriously though, I owe you one."

Alistair waved the thought away. "It was no problem; you would have done the same for me."

"Yeah… probably," Varric replied.

"Anyway," Hawke said, drawing attention back to himself. "Any messages to pass on then?" he asked Duran.

"No, it's fine," Duran answered, giving a genuine smile this time. "Let everyone know it was a success… and don't give any details." He held his arm out, and Hawke clasped it. "Thank you again Hawke," Duran continued. "I may take you up on that offer of help someday."

"It would be an honor," Hawke replied, giving the dwarf's arm a squeeze and letting go. "All of you," he added to the others. "Please feel free to call on us anytime. Not just as allies. But as friends."

The wardens looked at the seemingly odd grouping of men, and smiled back at them, giving nods. Then without another word, they turned and headed off in a different direction, without looking back.

Hawke waited a few minutes, until they were out of sight, and he gave a sigh. "Are you all ready to go home?" he asked.

"One thing first," Fenris suddenly spoke, and the others looked to him in surprise. He had been silently glowering the entire time, his sword still out and resting on his shoulder. He turned to Anders.

"Did you hear the voice?" he asked the mage. "Did it try to command you?"

Anders glared at the elf; his features twisted in anger. "What are you trying to say?!" he demanded.

Fenris didn't reply, but Hawke could see his hand clenching on the hilt of his weapon. "I must admit, I'm curious," Hawke added, giving a sheepish shrug when Anders' glare turned to him. "Sorry, but I am."

Anders sighed as the anger left him. "Yes, I could hear it, though not as soon as Duran did," he answered. "It was like someone speaking to you, but not being able to just plug your ears and shut them out. You couldn't not hear it, no matter how hard you tried to make it stop."

"That sounds awful," Sebastian spoke up as well, wanting to help establish peace within their group.

"Once we went back to the where the Commander and Alistair were, it was gone again," Anders replied. "But yes, it was. I'd hate to think of how I could have survived through the entire place without going mad."

He glared back at Fenris now, "If you think telling Cat about this will get me out of your life, you couldn't be more wrong," he stated, as if it was a challenge to the elf.

Hawke looked from Anders to Fenris and back again, wondering where this was going, without completely understanding it. Then to his surprise, the tense atmosphere simply dissipated. Fenris reached upwards and sheathed his sword behind him and gave Anders a nod.

Hawke's brow furrowed. He could tell that something had passed between them, but he had no idea what it could have been.

"What was that all about then?" Varric asked. "Broody? Blondie?"

"Nothing," Fenris replied. "I am ready to depart."

"Agreed," Anders added, giving Hawke a tired smile. "Let's go home."

They started walking, giving the other three little choice but to join them. Hawke was still frowning after them when he heard Anders ask Varric what he thought the women were up to in their absence, and Varric reply with a laugh.

He decided to let it go, as his lips curved upwards, and he started following his friends. It was like a weight had lifted from his shoulders, and he could finally enjoy the journey.

He glanced back to where the wardens had gone, thinking that they most likely were still burdened with it.

Cat let Isabela drag her to the Hanged Man, since neither of them had plans that evening. She didn't really feel like drinking, so she was just listening to her friend rant- again- about Charade denying them time alone.

"She just wants you to make a decision, Issy," Cat said, forcing herself not to smile. "And if you're alone, you'll just try to take her to bed."

"Of course I would!" Isabela replied, slamming her cup down on the table, and signaling for another. "Bed is the one place where we don't argue!"

Cat rolled her eyes. "You make it sound like you're fighting all the time," Cat admonished. "You two are great together."

"Yeah, okay," Isabela conceded. "But it's so frustrating!"

Cat smirked. "Didn't she tell you that you were free to find someone else to sleep with?" she asked. "It's not like you to be celibate."

She could see her friend actually shudder and grimace at the word, and she chuckled. "What's the problem Issy?" she asked, lowering her voice as she leaned toward her. "You feeling like you don't want anyone else?"

Isabela looked up to glare at her, grabbing the glass as soon as it was filled, and downing it. "Why can't she get it?" she griped, though softly. "Why can't we be like you and Hawke? Just the good stuff! No commitments, no feelings…"

"You seem to have a serious misunderstanding of my relationship," Cat said dryly.

"Fine, whatever," Isabela waved that away. "Bad example. Why can't we just enjoy each other? Is she insecure? Needing me to give her empty promises?"

"I highly doubt that," Cat said, glaring back at her friend. "No one wants empty promises. I swear Issy, sometimes I just want to shake some sense into you."

"What?" Isabela looked affronted. "I'm the one that's being sensible."

"So… I wonder where they are?" Cat asked, changing the subject. "They made it sound like it would be a week's journey, and it's been far longer."

Isabela gave her friend a baleful look, expressing how she felt about the change in topic. "This is exactly what I'm talking about."

Cat looked back, wondering if Isabela was finally getting to the point of her bad mood that had been present for the past two days. "What's that?" she asked.

Isabela's eyebrow rose, able to see through her friend easily, as she had had years of practice. "You," she replied. "You used to be fun."

Cat started, surprised. "What?" she asked, sitting up a little straighter. "I'm still fun. I'm here drinking with you, aren't I?"

Isabela smirked, happy that she had gotten her riled up. "Hawke's gone, and all you do is mope," she continued. "Well excuse me, if I don't want to tie myself to someone. I don't want to have to worry about them, think about them all the time, or wonder when I'll see them again."

Cat put her elbow on the bar and set her chin on her hand. "Are you saying you don't do that now?" she asked with a cheeky grin. "'Cuz I'm pretty sure you do." She pushed her voice lower to imitate her friend. "I wonder where Charade is. Why won't she just spend some time alone with me?"

Isabela frowned again, not liking her own words repeated back to her, but she ignored them in favor of figuratively sparring with Cat. She cleared her throat, using her falsetto voice to imitate her in turn.

"Oh, where is my Hawke?" she exaggerated. "I just love him, and his big strong arms so much!"

Cat turned red, seeing the other patrons turning and chuckling at Isabela's show. "Cut it out," she hissed.

"But I miss Hawke!" Isabela continued, fluttering her eyelashes now as she stood, gaining the attention of the room. "My bed is so cold and lonely!"

Cat glared at the men that started hooting and offering to help her out, then slapped her hands down on the table and stood as well to face her.

"Yeah, well, if only you were more like me!" she shot back, her gruff imitation of Isabela's sultry voice not even close. "Anyone can come to my bed, as long as you don't try to stay long!"

"Why, you little slut!" Isabela said, faux-shocked. "Let's hope Hawke doesn't hear about this!" she said with a wide grin.

"C'mon you know I was imitating-" she broke off as she turned to see what Isabela was looking at, and her mouth gaped open as she saw Varric and Fenris chuckling at her.

"Sorry Cat, but we tried to hurry to get him back to you, I didn't realize there was a time limit," Fenris said, ignoring the laughter that was rolling all around them.

"No need to take such drastic measures, even if you are lonely," Varric teased. "I feel bad for Hawke now, he was so looking forward to your reunion that he wouldn't even stop in for a drink."

She rolled her eyes. "I was trying to imitate Issy, since she was pretending to be me," she explained, exasperated, and Fernis chuckled at seeing her embarrassment.

"He went home to get cleaned up," Fenris told her softly, giving her a smile, and slowly placing a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Then he'll head to our place to find you, I'm certain."

"Is that why you decided to join me, Broody?" Varric asked with a sly smile. "To give them some privacy?"

"No," Fenris replied, taking Cat's drink from the table and downing it with a grimace, then turning away to face Varric. "I came with you to prevent you from following after Hawke and ruining the moment."

Cat was touched, and put her arms around Fenris from behind, holding tight and pressing her face against his back. She didn't notice that he had frozen in shock, thinking only that his armor was filthy, and he smelled something fierce, but she didn't care.

"Thanks Fen, you're the best!" Cat said as she released him. She turned and hustled out of the room, calling goodbye over her shoulder.

"I'm not usually envious of the Champion, but this is one time I wish I was him," the three of them heard someone say. They all sat, smiles on their faces, even as Varric signaled for more drinks.

Isabela glanced over at the door, her grin slowly falling. She looked around the room, realizing that she suddenly felt hollow, but not sure why.

Cat made her way swiftly to Hightown, wondering if she should go home and wait, or simply head to Hawke's and surprise him. Catching him by surprise was a wonderful thought, but the idea of who may come running to the Champion's home to find him helped make the decision for her.

She slowed slightly as she entered Hightown, not wanting to cause a scene by running, even if her excitement was growing. She pressed a hand to her fluttering stomach, suddenly wishing that she didn't feel so uncertain.

You know you want him… she told herself. Nodding, she agreed. And you know he wants you. Another nod. And after the way you were with each other when he left, you know he's willing to do whatever he needs to to keep you steady.

There were a few merchants that gave her strange looks, though she was too involved in her pep talk to notice.

Are you scared?

That was the question, the crux of the matter. And the answer wasn't as easy as she would have thought. She looked up, ensuring that she was going the right way home, as she answered herself.

No… and … yes.

Her problem right now, wasn't that she was scared of Hawke. I know he'll be respectful, probably to the point that I'll be begging him to just grab me. She gave a slightly off-kilter laugh at that thought, her memory and imagination making thinking straight a little difficult.

Her thoughts turned as they always did, to a rapidly approaching time when Hawke would leave, and her stomach sank. She realized that this what where her feelings of fear were centered. I'm afraid I won't be able to let go… or he won't. What will happen if he stays?!

She shivered, and wrapped her arms around herself, as she continued on. She had finally opened the mental door that she had kept locked tightly ever since she decided to be with Hawke.

He can't stay… she thought, determined. That would mean the seekers would take him to the inquisition, and he'd die at the conclave. So then, I'll have to go with him. Her mood sank a little more, knowing from Anders how he feared being on the run like his parents had been.

"There's no easy way here," she muttered to herself. "So, we'll just have to say goodbye, only for a little while. Once the inquisition is started, they won't want him anymore, right?"

She mentally beat herself for not staying and asking Fenris about what had happened while they were gone, but assured herself that if it was bad news, he would have stopped her to let her know.

Which means Corypheus is really gone? she thought in amazement. So, the inquisition can carry on like the Divine originally meant it to? She gave a little smile at the thought. That will be interesting to see. I wonder who the inquisitor will be then? Probably Cassandra or someone high up in the chantry?

Deep in thought about Venatori and red lyrium, she didn't notice that she was being quietly followed.