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Solas' hand shook with hesitation on the handle of Salem's office door. Elyssa's painting had raised a lot of questions for him. Too many questions to deal with on his own anymore. He didn't know anyone better than Salem to go to. She was, after all, the guidance counselor for the senior class. With a heavy sigh, he pushed open the door.

"Solas!" the crimson-haired qunari said in surprise, "what brings you to my office?" Solas looked around the office walls full of pictures of Salem and Bull as well as their adopted son Krem and the other Chargers before settling on Salem.

"I'm having an issue with one of my students. I fear that she's going through some things I just don't know how to help her with. I'm at a loss on what to do I'm afraid," he explained vaguely.

"What makes you think this student is having problems?" Salem put her head in her hands as she listened to his explanations. She didn't press him for the identity of the student, for which Solas was grateful. Solas couldn't seem to find quite the right words to tell the woman about Elyssa and her artwork without stating exactly what he had seen. He didn't tell the horned woman about Elyssa never having lunch, nor did he tell her about the phone call she had received from a screaming woman. How could he tell Salem all these things without telling her about the painting he had promised Elyssa he wouldn't show to anyone else? He knew he should just show the counselor the painting. It was the responsible thing to do. But he had made a promise and right now he couldn't bring himself to betray Elyssa's trust like that.

"Maybe you should talk to her parents? Tell them you think something is going on with her here at school," she suggested after he had finished talking.

"I have been meaning to talk to them about the upcoming art show I would like her to enter," he thought aloud.

"So you can speak with them on that as well," she smiled at having seemingly solved his problem.

"Thank you Salem," he nodded to the woman.

"Of course," She smiled kindly at him, "you know you'd be lost without me,"

"We all would," Solas laughed with her.

"Naturally," she chuckled, "now go teach, or whatever it is you do. I'm tired of seeing eggs in my office," The sparkle in her mercury eyes let Solas know that she was teasing, as was her usual way with him.

"I will see you and Iron Bull tonight?" he asked with a smile.

"What are you, new?" Salem laughed, "you've been coming over every Friday after the games for dinner since we began teaching here,"

"I know, but there is no harm in reassurance," Solas said.

"You're bringing dessert right?" Salem asked with a childish spin of her chair.

"Don't I always?" Solas chuckled. Salem did a good job of distracting him, but Solas couldn't get Elyssa off his mind. Every minute that had passed since she had left earlier that day found Solas growing more and more worried. Who had been that woman screaming at her on the phone? Why did she have to go? More importantly, what did her painting and her words before she left mean?

When he pulled into the driveway of the Adaar home, Solas decided to try to put Elyssa out of his mind for the course of dinner. He couldn't understand why he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind since the trip to the Van Gogh exhibit. It seemed every day the only thing he thought about was Elyssa Lavellan and how to make her smile. How to keep the tingling of bells her laughter resembled to continuously play in his ears. How much beauty and talent she displayed every day during lunch when she focused diligently on her art. What was it about her that drew him in? Was it her artistic ability that rivaled his own? Was it the strength he saw hidden in her green depths? Was it the way her eyes crinkled and dimples showed as she laughed? Or was it how easy he found it was to talk to her? She had shown wisdom beyond her years, making him feel as though he were talking to someone his age rather than someone ten years younger than him.

A small sigh escaped him. This was not casting Elyssa from his mind. With determination, he grabbed the platter of small frilly cakes he had prepared and got out of the car. Salem met him at the door, a welcoming smile on her face. She took the tray from him and walked into the kitchen. Solas stepped into the house that had become like a second home to him. He had been friends with Salem since his early days of high school, and Iron Bull since they met in college. It had been a lucky circumstance they all got hired on together at the same school. Working together only strengthened their friendship, as they all became each other's support system. Solas attended all of the football games in support of Iron Bull and his Chargers. Salem often helped Solas grade papers after dinner on Fridays. Solas had been there for both Bull and Salem when they found and adopted Krem. In turn, they had both been there for him when things had gotten bad, and eventually ended, with Andruil. He didn't know where he would be now without the support of his friends.

"Solas!" Bull yelled enthusiastically from the living room as if he hadn't just seen him at work. "How are things going with that little elven girl that drew you that picture?"

"What do you mean 'how are things going,?" Solas asked the large man.

"I mean have you gotten anywhere with her?" Bull winked his good eye at him, a wide grin on his face.

Neither Solas, nor Bull saw the whirling motion of the wooden spoon flying through the air until it had hit in the middle of Bull's upturned horns. The crack of wood against hard flesh echoed throughout the room. Solas turned to see a frowning Salem standing in the archway that connected the living room to the kitchen. "That 'little elven girl' is a student and at least ten years younger than Solas," she chastised.

"Ten years and six months to be precise. Her birthday is in April," Solas corrected, "though she does seem wise beyond her years." He had meant to give evidence to Salem's argument. Even, if he had the desire to pursue Elyssa, there were several reasons why she was off-limits. Her age was just one of many.

Salem turned a suspicious eye to Solas. "And you know this why?"

"It came up in conversation during lunch a few weeks ago," Solas answered evasively.

"So she has 'lunch' with you, eh?" Bull dug his elbow playfully into Solas's shoulder. Solas shuffled his feet awkwardly. Elyssa did indeed have lunch with him, but not in the manner Iron Bull was implying.

Salem walked seemingly calm towards Iron Bull. With a loving smile, Bull held his arm out for an embrace. Instead of walking into her husband's arms, Salem walked just past him to where the spoon had fallen onto the floor after she had thrown it. Her movements were nearly invisible from the moment she stopped walking to the point another loud crack of wood against Bull's head sounded around them. "She is a student!"

"She won't be a student forever," Bull said.

"There's still the matter of her being ten years and apparently six months younger," She pointed out with a huff.

"And when did age stop us," Bull pointed out with a booming laugh. Salem couldn't argue that point since, at thirty-seven, Iron Bull was seven years her senior.

"I wasn't your student though," she said triumphantly.

"That's what you think, Kadan," Iron Bull argued suggestively, "but I've made quite the student of you in the bedroom," He dragged his wife into his embrace, not seeming to care that company was present as he kissed her lewdly.

"Ugh, guys what have I told you about not getting naked in the more public areas of the house?" the baritone voice of Krem scolded as he walked into the room.

"We still have clothes on," Salem informed her son.

"For now," Bull tacked in with a wink to his wife. Solas laughed with the small family. Not a day went by that they didn't interact happily. Most days, Solas never minded the near teenage-like way Salem and Bull acted together. Today, however, he felt an ache in his chest watching the two qunari interact. The caring way Iron Bull looked down at Salem and the way she stared up at him with adoration stirred the longing Solas had for something similar. There was a time Solas had once thought he had something similar to that dream. It had turned out to be nothing more than a nightmare.

He envied the easy dynamic they had with Krem as well. He had once thought fatherhood was an option for him. Andruil had ended that delusion rather quickly. Bitterness foamed in Solas's mouth at the memory of the events that had transpired between them, the cruelty that was Andruil. He had thought getting away from her would free him from the pain and suffering she had bestowed upon him. It had been years, and still, he shied away from the thoughts of being with someone that way again. Of giving someone else the power to break his heart more than it already had been. No, he had been down that road before. Never again would someone be able to hurt him the way Andruil had.

He turned his thoughts away from more serious issues for the course of dinner. There was nothing he could do at the present moment for Elyssa, and Andruil was a subject he had long since laid to rest. He enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere Bull and his family radiated. The meal Salem prepared was delicious as usual, though he always favored dessert. It wasn't until after he had helped Salem clear the table that his thoughts were brought back to less pleasant subjects.

"Solas, do you think you're ever going to date again?" Salem asked as they sat in two lounge chairs in the living room. Bull and Krem were absorbed in their playbook for the upcoming football game. Salem was helping him grade this week's projects. He had carefully hidden Elyssa's so it would remain unseen by anyone aside from him. Salem took a swig of her wine as she waited for him to answer.

"I've dated plenty of women since then," Solas grumbled. He remembered the months after he and Andruil ended when all he had were casual dalliances. He never spent more than a night with a woman and always a different woman. His playboy actions had earned him the title 'Dread Wolf' with the women who had come to know him and those who wished they could tame the beast. He didn't mind the name, but he eventually grew tired of the game. Of falling in and out of bed with strangers, never feeling anything more than temporary satisfaction.

Salem narrowed her mercury grey eyes at the elf, "I mean seriously dated, Solas," she clarified, "not just tumbled in and out of bed with,"

"That is a question I ask myself often," Solas responded, "but I couldn't say for certain what the answer would be,"

"You can't let her continue to control your life Solas," Salem sighed.

"Salem, I understand you have some experience in this area," Solas sighed irritably, "but I would appreciate it if you kept your remarks about who, or who is not, controlling my life to yourself,"

"Solas you may not want to hear it," Salem growled to her friend, "but you are indeed still letting that bitch control your life and sooner or later you're going to have to move on!"

"I will do so in my own time," Solas huffed, "now, if you'll excuse me, it's gotten rather later and I think it's best I head home now."

As Solas stood he was wrapped into the arms of the female qunari. He softened slightly at his friend's comforting embrace. He knew she was just looking out for him, as she always had been. He wished it were as simple as taking her advice, but opening his heart to the chance of getting broken again was not proving that easy a task