My boots stomped in the snow with soft crunches. I had grown so used to the chill now that I barely even shivered. The tip of my nose and ears had long since stopped burning, though I suspected they were still bright red.

I trudged up the steep incline, my arms out and ready to catch me in case I slipped on the terrain.

Keep being myself, I thought. No pressure, it's not like an entire race of people are dependent on my actions.

That thought did make me shudder.

"Brooding again?" came a voice from behind me.

"I'm not broody. You're the grim and fatalistic one among us," I snapped.

Solas smiled at me, his freckles standing out against his chilled skin. "You are correct, I am grim and fatalistic. And you are broody."

At the sound of my laugh, Solas's smile grew just a tiny bit wider.

I swept my hand across the vast nothingness before us. "Here we are trudging north for some mythical place. I have yet to see anything so grandiose."

"Do you have faith in me?" Solas asked.

I pursed my lips, contemplating for a moment. "I suppose I do."

"Then trust me. We will be there soon," he whispered softly, the sound nearly lost to the howling of the wind.

I let loose an exaggerated sigh, but smiled playfully. As we climbed up the next ridge, however, my mind went blank as I took in the area. From this crevice we were able to see the valley and mountains beyond. Nestled in the mountains was a stronghold, vast and well-fortified. It looked as if it were carved out of the very mountain itself. My breath stuttered in my lungs and my head whipped to the side to look at Solas.

He smiled smugly. "Welcome to Skyhold."

I sat on one of the stone steps of Skyhold, humming as I cleaned my dagger thoroughly. It had been nice of Cullen to get me new ones–I had lost the old ones at Haven. Speaking of Cullen, I raised my glance to the lot of leaders huddled together. Cassandra, Leliana, Cullen, and Josephine all were within arms length of each other and they weren't fighting. Perhaps I should start believing in miracles.

Catching my glance, Cassandra waved me over. As I approached, however, the others left–rather abruptly, I might add. My hackles were raised. Something was going on.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," Cassandra said too quickly, "Come with me."

"Cassandra, just tell me what's going on." Even as I said the words, I still followed her up the steps behind us and to the ledge looking out over the courtyard.

"Don't ruin our fun," she chided.

"Fun? Are you going to play pranks on me? Have you finally found solace in one another against me?" I teased.

"No such thing," Cassandra replied with a serious tone. "We just thought it was time."

"Time for what?"

Leliana appeared beside Cassandra, a rather elegant sword in her hands.

"Time for the Inquisition to have a leader. Preferably the one who has already been leading it."

"I…don't follow?"

"You," Cassandra stated simply.

I nearly laughed but the unwavering tone with which she said the words was keeping me from doing so. "You can't be serious. I'm an elf."

"I haven't forgotten," Cassandra said dryly. "But you are the one who helped us get this far. You are the one who has been the face of the Inquisition. You are the one who sealed the Breach and stopped Corypheus at Haven. You have done more for the Inquisition than you know."

My heart beat painfully against my breastbone with nerves. I felt the need to wipe my palms on my pants, but resisted. "You really mean this?"

"We really do," Leliana said with a small smile.

"Commander," Cassandra shouted into the crowd. "Will they follow!?"

Below, Cullen turned to the people in Skyhold and addressed them, "Will you follow? Your leader. Your Herald. Your Inquisitor!"

The crowd erupted with cries of assent–fists raised to the sky and cheers went up to the heavens. I looked down at all the faces smiling up at me and hoped I didn't vomit.

I shoved open the door to my chambers–Jospehine had already assigned my room to me–and sighed at the sight of the mess. There was a bed with a mattress of straw in one corner and scattered signs of habitation all around the room.

Skyhold's bones were good, but its guts were in clear disarray. We would have to work hard to make this place liveable again and grow it into what the Inquisition needed.

"You're skulking again," I murmured over my shoulder, picking up a tapestry that had fallen to the ground long ago.

"Not skulking. Observing," Solas amended.

"Same difference," I muttered.

"Should I be calling you Inquisitor Lavellan now?" he teased.

"Lavellan is fine." I sighed. "I still feel like they're making a big mistake making me their official leader. I know next to nothing about leading an organization of this size. My entire clan could fit inside the main hall of Skyhold."

"I disagree with you. I think they made the perfect choice considering the options."

"Please, no more. I've had enough attention on me in the last hour to last a lifetime," I begged with a grimace. Then, a thought occurred to me. "Tell me about yourself instead."

"Are you actually trying to start a conversation or are you deflecting?"

"Why not both?"

Solas laughed softly. "I welcome questions, but let us talk somewhere more comfortable."

"This lovely chamber isn't doing it for you?" I teased.

"Just close your eyes. Focus."

"On what?" I asked, doing as I was told.

"Haven," Solas replied.

When I opened my eyes to make another joke, we were back in Haven as if nothing had happened. A small gasp escaped from me and I turned to Solas questioningly.

"It is a good place to remember," Solas said by way of answering. "Come."

I followed him speechlessly. Haven was Haven again, but it was bare. There were no signs of anyone. Not Threnn, or Flissa, or even grumpy Adan.

"We sure are going a long way for a talk," I mused.

"Do you always sass your friends or am I just special?"

The obvious flirtation in his tone caught me off guard–specifically because he was leading me down to the dungeons of Haven. If this was his idea of romance, I was sorry for him.

"Here I watched you while you slept. I kept an eye on you and that mark that was slowly making its way across your palm with every breath of the Breach."

I had heard about him keeping vigil over me while I slept, but now I was a little embarrassed. Had I spoken in my sleep like when I was a child? The Keeper always said that I would cry the most ridiculous things while dreaming!

Solas continued, either oblivious to or ignoring my discomfort, "I watched and waited, hoping beyond hope that you would wake up and be able to solve the puzzle in the sky. Eventually, I had run out of hope and was ready to run. Cassandra had been rather direct with her opinion of me and I knew the outcome if I didn't revive you."

"Cassandra is like that with everyone," I commented. "Direct and to the point. No need to worry about where you stand with her."

Solas laughed and tilted his head toward the door. "This way."

I followed him back out into the snowy mountain air and noted the Breach in the sky. Had it really been that large? And…I had closed such a thing?

Solas breathed in deeply, his eyes locked on the Breach as mine were, and said, "I was frustrated and frightened. I left your side to seal the Breach on my own but nothing was working. Then you showed up–awake and clearly alive. When you brought your hand to that rift for the first time and sealed it without a thought, I felt the whole world change."

My heart rolled and fluttered in my chest simultaneously. "You felt the whole world change?"

"I should clarify, I felt my whole world change."

Solas was flirting with me. Brazenly. Openly. I was getting a peek at that guarded heart in this moment and I felt as though my own heart were melting.

"You change…everything," he murmured so quietly I almost didn't hear him.

I couldn't help it. I lifted my hand to his cheek, turning his head so he could meet my lips as I stood on my tiptoes to reach him. The kiss was gentle, sweet.

Finally though, I realized what I had done and pulled back, my ears burning hotly. I moved to turn around and Solas shook his head–a minute gesture, but one that sent a thrill down my spine. His arm snaked around my waist and he brought me back to him. His lips found mine again and I let out a soft gasp of surprise.

The kiss turned fervent as his tongue brushed along the seam of my lips. I surrendered embarrassingly easily–my lips parting for him and allowing his tongue to brush against mine.

Abruptly, Solas pulled his head back and I let out a whimper of protest. Again, he shook his head as if willing himself to stop…and losing that battle miserably.

He brought his mouth back to mine, but the kiss turned slow again until Solas murmured against my lips, "We shouldn't. Not even here."

"Here?" I whispered, dazed and–dare I admit–turned on.

"Where did you think we were?"

I glanced around at the empty Haven surrounding me and said, "This…this isn't real."

"That's debatable. But we can discuss matters further when you wake up."

My body jolted awake as if I had been electrocuted. Had I been dreaming? I mean, of course I had been dreaming, but had I been dreaming and making things up with my own sex-deprived brain or had I really been there with…him?

I brought a hand to my mouth, my fingertips brushing lightly over my lips.

I needed to know. I needed to know now that I hadn't made this up.

I threw off my blankets and stormed down the stairs like I was on a mission. I was–of sorts. I needed to know how he felt. No dancing around this thing between us anymore, I wanted confirmation that I wasn't insane in assuming that the apostate was also growing attached to me.

I was well aware I looked frightful. I tried to smooth down my hair and clothes as I ran–thankfully I had fallen asleep in my day clothes earlier.

I found him easily in the entryway to the library. He wasn't hiding and he almost seemed to expect my approach. He turned to face me and the look on his face told me all I needed to know.

I hadn't been simply dreaming alone. Solas had been there and he had absolutely returned my kiss. He opened his mouth to apologize, but before he could get far, I seized him by his jawbone necklace and planted a demanding kiss on his lips.

I pulled away quickly and stated, "That is how I feel about you."

"Things are much easier for me in the Fade," Solas explained. "Here they are…much more complicated. I am not certain this is the best idea. It could lead to trouble."

"I'm willing to take that chance." A shred of doubt crept into my mind and I added softly, "If you are."

Solas seemed stumped and I felt like laughing. I had stumped him. His wise brain was circling and tripping over itself to react.

"Can I have time to think on it?" he asked finally.

"Of course," I replied with a smile. "I just had to make my own feelings known."

A whistle came from above and I lifted my face to find Dorian staring down at us. He leaned over the railing of the library, a shit-eating grin on his face. "That was a long time coming."

"He's not a stray puppy, Solas."

"He's not a creature either, Vivienne."

My ears perked up at the sounds of an argument as I stepped down the stones stairs to the courtyard. I had been intending to check on some of the injured soldiers, but instead I found Solas and Vivienne bickering fervently. I nearly tripped over Cole, having not noticed him sitting in the dirt.

"He is unique. To push him out now would be a detriment to our party," Solas argued.

"Or he could kill us in our sleep," Vivienne snapped back.

Solas tossed up his hands with exasperation. "If he wanted to, he would have done so already. Look at him, Vivienne. Does he look dangerous to you?"

"Danger can take all sorts of forms, apostate."

"What's going on," I interjected.

"They're arguing over me," Cole stated. His blunt manner of speaking and monotone voice was growing on me. "Vivienne wants me to go. Solas wants me to stay. I can help people if I stay."

"Vivienne…" I started.

"Don't give me that, Inquisitor," she interrupted curtly with a wave of her hand. "We don't even know what he is. Is he man or spirit?"

"As I was saying, Cole is unique," Solas insisted. "He is a spirit but he is possessing no one. He is not a threat."

I held up my hands placatingly. "Cole has given us no reason to believe that he would harm us, Vivienne. If anything, he's been helping. In his own way," I offered with a small smile. "Plus I'm growing fond of him."

I knelt by Cole and flicked his hat. He tilted his face up toward me and I reached out, smooshing his cheeks together. He let me do so without complaint.

"I mean look at this face," I said with a laugh. "He's harmless."

"Do not come to me when he stabs you with one of those daggers," Vivienne hissed.

She stormed off, only pausing beside me to murmur, "Make sure to take care that you are not letting matters of the heart sway your judgement, Inquisitor."

I knit my brows together, but nodded.