Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age or Fenris…no one can own Fenris. He is a free man.

Fenris stared in horror at the scene in front of him: Hawke on his knees with blank eyes, an expressionless face, and a lyrium brand on his forehead. The elf had been too slow getting back to their hideaway, leaving Hawke by himself to fend off the rogue Templars.

They had surprised Hawke, that was the only way such a small group could have beaten a mage as powerful as Hawke. The elf kicked a body out of his way to Garrett and fell to his knees in front of the human. "Hawke," he whimpered and brushed a thumb over the brand, hoping in vain that it was fake and Garrett was just playing a trick on him.

"Hello, Fenris," the voice had no emotion to it and it caused Fenris to flinch. That such an expressive man would have such a tone shattered Fenris's broken heart. "It was good of you to come. Those men were unpleasant."

"Unpleasant?! They made you Tranquil, Hawke!" Fenris shouted and leapt to his feet. He paced back and forth in front of the human, trying to decide what to do. Hawke had always begged him that if somehow, he was turned Tranquil, that Fenris would kill him. Fenris had agreed at the time, but now he wasn't so sure he could.

"I am alive. I do not wish to die," he responded in that same stoic tone and the elf flinched again like he had been struck.

"Wait here, Hawke," he instructed and left to a back room to gather some of their things. He would take Hawke to Varric. The dwarf was Garrett's best friend and deserved a chance to say goodbye before Fenris killed him. Maybe…maybe it will wear off or maybe Hawke will overcome it, he thought desperately and returned to see his human right where he left him. "You could have stood up, Hawke," he sighed.

"You told me to wait here," he replied, "you did not say I could stand." Fenris was suddenly reminded of his time as a slave when Denarius would force him to stay in uncomfortable positions for his experiments and would sometimes keep him like that for hours.

"You don't have to obey me, Hawke. You can do what you like," he shuddered and helped the man to his feet. Having Hawke so pliant unnerved him. The man rarely did as he was told and would often drive Fenris to near madness with his inability to listen to him. What I wouldn't give for that right now, he thought and handed Hawke his cloak. "Put this on; we're going to see Varric."

Fenris was at a loss, he had no idea where the dwarf was. The last letter Varric had sent them had said that Seeker Pentaghast was taking him to the Conclave, but the Conclave had been destroyed and he had no way of knowing whether or not the dwarf was even still alive.

Varric ran his hands through his hair when his messenger returned with his letter for Hawke and Broody. "You're sure they weren't there?"

The messenger nodded, "All that was there were dead Templars. It looked as though some of the supplies had been taken, but the hut was abandoned."

"Shit," Varric cursed and fell into his chair. It wasn't like Hawke or Broody to just up and leave a hiding spot without at least letting him know where they were going. The dwarf had a bad feeling about all this. "I want everyone keeping a lookout for him. You find him, you tell me right away."

"Yes, sir," the messenger nodded and left.

Varric watched the messenger leave and tossed the letter into the fire. "What have you gotten yourself into this time, Hawke?"

Fenris stood at the spot where Haven was supposed to be only to see bodies and buildings buried in the snow. "Fasta vas (Tevene swear word)!" He cursed and kicked at the snow in frustration. "There is no one here!"

"That is not true; there are people there," Hawke responded, the monotone voice still unnerved him, but the elf didn't flinch every time he heard it now at least.

Fenris looked in the direction Hawke was pointing and saw figures coming closer to them. "Get behind me," he ordered and his human shifted to stand behind him. He drew his Blade of Mercyi as they approached.

A man in mercenary armour approached them, hand on his own sword, but he didn't draw it. Two others, a dwarf, and a Dalish elf joined him. "Who are you?" The man asked. Fenris would recognize that accent anywhere.

"Tevinter!" He scowled. He held his sword defensively. He couldn't risk outright attacking the trio with Hawke unable to defend himself.

The man seemed to realize exactly what Fenris was. He rose both hands up in a gesture of peace and stepped back, the two with him followed his lead. "Easy there, I'm not a hunter. My name is Cremisius Aclassi. Krem for short. I'm a member of a mercenary band called 'The Bull's Chargers'. We're working for the Inquisition."

Fenris lowered his blade slightly, but was unwilling to sheathe it. "Then why are you here; there is obviously no Inquisition here."

"The Inquisitor sent us here to direct pilgrims to Skyhold," Krem didn't dare move or lower his hands and it was making his companions anxious, he had to diffuse the situation and quickly. "Would a Tevinter hunter really travel with a Dalish mage and a dwarf?"

"I'm not a mage!" The Dalish woman argued.

"Not this again," the dwarf grumbled.

The former slave kept his sword drawn as he studied the human. A few tense seconds later, he sheathed his sword and Krem let his hands drop. "What happened here?"

"The Inquisition was attacked by a mad-man named Corypheus and his army," Krem explained, "the Inquisitor ended up dropping half the mountain on Haven to stop him. Almost everyone got out before than happened. Now we're here to guide people to the Inquisition's new base of operations."

"Is a dwarf by the name of Varric Tethras there?" Fenris asked. He hated showing his hand like this, but he couldn't risk a trip further into the mountains for nothing.

Krem nodded, "Blonde with quite the impressive chest hair? Yeah, he's there. Why?"

Fenris ignored his question, "How do I get to Skyhold?"

Varric stared at the parchment in front of him. He had been writing a letter to his people looking for Hawke on his new location. Before everything went sideways at Haven, he had gotten a couple reports of a strangely tattooed elf and a cloaked figure, but the two hadn't stayed in one place long enough to pin down.

"At least he's alive," he groused, "would be nice of Hawke to at least write." He set the quill down when he noticed an Inquisition messenger approach him.

"Message for you, Master Tethras. From the Bull's Chargers," the messenger handed him the letter and left.

Varric,

Just a warning: that there's a grumpy Tevinter elf and a cloaked figure heading to Skyhold looking for you.

Krem

Varric chuckled and folded up the letter. At least this saved him from having to find them.

The two passed under the ancient gate and stopped. Fenris pushed his hood down to get a good look at the castle and all the people around it. He stopped when he saw Hawke reaching for his hood. "No, keep that on." Hawke's hands fell away from the hood.

The elf was overwhelmed by everything; crowds had always made him somewhat nervous. It was easy for a hunter or an assassin hide themselves in a crowd. In Kirkwall, he had Hawke's eyes to help him, but here, he was on his own. He couldn't rely on Hawke to spot danger. Hawke right now was relying on him to keep them both from harm.

"Broody! There you are!" The poor elf jumped and instinctively reached for his sword. Varric just laughed and held up his hands, "Easy there. Just me."

"Fasta vas, Varric!" Fenris cursed and let go of his sword. He turned to the dwarf and scowled.

"Just as pleasant as ever," the dwarf grinned. "Not going to say 'hi', Hawke? You owe me a drink for that disappearing act."

The elf turned to Garrett, "Be silent, Hawke." Varric frowned when the human did stay silent and didn't reach for his hood. Fenris turned back to Varric. "We need to speak somewhere private. I have…unpleasant news."

Varric felt his heart drop into his stomach and led them to a section of the wall hidden behind some rubble. "Alright, Broody, you've kept me in suspense long enough. We're alone, what's the bad news?" The dwarf was trying to keep a light-hearted tone, but from the look on the elf's face, he wasn't doing a very good job.

"Hawke, take off your hood," Fenris ordered and shifted in place. It was obvious he was unsettled that Garrett was obeying his every command without question.

Varric's question died on his lips when Hawke's hood fell away and he could see the brand on his forehead. "No," he cried, "Hawke."

Garrett looked down at Varric with that same unnerving, empty expression. "Hello, Varric. Why are you upset?"

The story teller couldn't speak, he could barely breathe. That tone had no business in Hawke's voice. "How?" He muttered.

"I had left to get supplies from a nearby village. When I returned, Hawke was already Tranquil," Fenris couldn't bear to look at Varric and instead looked at his love. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, Broody," the dwarf breathed and sat on the ground to keep from falling.

"I know what Hawke asked of me should this happen but I-I couldn't," Fenris had taken to pacing. "You deserved a chance to say goodbye."

Varric sat in stunned silence, staring up in horror at his best friend. A little voice in the back of head told him that he knew something important about all this. Something that could save his friend, but he was too grief-stricken to hear it. When he saw Fenris reach for his dagger, the memory pushed itself to the front of his mind. "Wait! Stop!" The dwarf leapt between the teary-eyed elf and Hawke. "There's a cure to Tranquility!"

Fenris dropped his dagger and fell to his knees to stare Varric in the eye. "Are you sure, dwarf? There's a cure?!"

The story teller nodded and let a laugh of relief bubble up, "The Seeker found out about it just the other day."

The elf was on his feet and tugging at Hawke. "Then we must see her immediately."

Cassandra had been reading the tome the previous Lord Seeker had given her before she killed him when the door to her room was kicked open by an elf who was evidently both happy to see her and irate with her. Why she couldn't begin to guess. The woman didn't bother reaching for her sword considering Varric was with the angry elf followed by a cloaked figure.

"Sorry for the abrupt entrance, Seeker. This couldn't wait," Varric apologized and stepped aside so the cloaked human could be tugged in by the elf. "I know you've been looking for Hawke because you wanted his help," the dwarf paused, clearly upset about something, "but well, I think Hawke needs your help more."

The Seeker was torn between being furious at Varric for hiding the Champion of Kirkwall and shock at the brand on his forehead. She settled on shock when her mouth opened to yell at the dwarf, but no sound came out.

"Don't be rude, Hawke, say 'hi'," Varric nudged the man forward another step.

"Hello, Seeker Pentaghast. I was informed you were looking for me," He greeted.

Cassandra's mouth snapped shut and opened again a couple times before she found her voice. "Varric, I only just found out about the cure. I have no idea if it will even work or how the Champion will react to it."

"Well, I guess we'll all find out, won't we?" The dwarf grinned, but she could see it was a desperate smile.

"Very well, Varric. There is a building near the garden the Inquisitor has been having repaired. Meet me there. I must find Commander Cullen and Solas. We will need help to do this." She sighed and left, not daring to look at the Champion.

Fenris paced while waiting for Cassandra and her help. Varric sat on a crate nearby telling Hawke of everything that happened in an attempt at normalcy. Both jumped when the blonde boy appeared out of no where.

"Who are you!" The elf demanded, sword drawn.

The boy stared at Hawke in sorrow. "There's nothing there."

"Damn it, kid. What have I told you about popping out of nowhere?" Varric scolded.

"Varric, who is this?!" Fenris scowled.

"Broody, meet Cole. Kid, meet Fenris," the dwarf introduced.

"Sad. Angry. 'I should have been there. This is my fault.' It twists in knots and won't let go," Cole walked over to Fenris with the same sad eyes he had when he stared at Hawke. "It's not your fault."

Fenris was stunned silent by that and dropped his sword in surprise. He turned to Varric for an answer. "Sorry, Broody. Didn't get a chance to warn you about Cole. He does that but the Kid just wants to help." Varric explained.

The elf glared at the boy, "how did you know that?"

"You're hurt is very loud," Cole blinked.

"The kid, here is a Spirit of Compassion best anyone can tell," the dwarf clarified.

"A demon," Fenris hissed.

"I prefer spirit," Cole argued.

"Don't mind Broody, Kid. He's just upset about Hawke." Varric patted the spot next to him and Cole reluctantly sat down beside him.

"I want to help," he murmured.

"I know you do. When the Seeker gets here with Curly and Chuckles, they'll tell you how you can help." Varric nodded.

"How can a demon help?!" Fenris hissed.

"I managed to get a look at that cure. From what I read, we're going to need a Fade Spirit to touch Hawke's mind to undo the Tranquility," the dwarf explained, "so I'm assuming the plan is to use the kid to touch Hawke's mind."

"You assume correct, Child of the Stone," Solas walked in followed by Cullen and Cassandra. Fenris glared at Cullen as he walked and stood between him and Hawke. The Commander got the hint and stayed away from the Champion.

"Easy, Broody, he's here to help, remember?" Varric tried to calm the anxious elf down, but wasn't having much luck. The situation with Hawke had worn too greatly on his nerves for him to calm down.

"Perhaps it is best both of you wait outside while we perform the ritual. I am unsure what will happen," Solas suggested.

Fenris scowled at the other elf, about to refuse to leave when the story teller tugged on his wrist. "Come on, Broody. Chuckles knows what he's talking about. Everyone is here to help Hawke, remember? Besides, we'll be just outside the door." With great reluctance, Fenris allowed the rogue to pull him outside.

Fenris paced again and it wasn't helping Varric's anxiety any. He trusted everyone in that room, but this was his best friend, he would never forgive himself if anything happened to Hawke.

It seemed like hours, but was only minutes when Cullen opened the door to let the two of them in. "It's done," he informed and stepped aside before Fenris could knock him over in his haste.

Hawke sat on the floor with a look of shock on his face and Fenris honestly thought it was the most beautiful thing he could see on the man. "Amatus," he breathed. He had dreamed of Garrett being cured before and was unsure if this was actually real or not.

Tear welled in the man's eyes when he looked at Fenris. "Fenris," he whispered and the spell holding the elf in place was broken.

He launched himself at his human and held him close. "I'm sorry," he cried and gripped Garrett tight, "I'm sorry." The Champion's tears spilled over and he held onto his elf just as tight. The mage buried his face in Fenris' shoulder and sobbed. The elf was barely holding his own tears back, unwilling to show anyone but Garrett that part of him.

Varric smiled at his friends and turned to leave; he would get a chance to greet Hawke later. "I think we should give them some privacy," he suggested.

"I think you're right," Cullen nodded and all left to give the two some time alone.

Realizing they were alone, Fenris let his own tears spill and crushed Hawke to him. "I'm sorry," he repeated and kept repeating it until the force of his sobs stopped him from talking. Garrett said nothing, but held onto Fenris that much tighter. His arms would be sore later but it didn't matter.

It was a few days before Hawke was in any condition to see anyone. Cassandra had warned them that Hawke would be very emotional for awhile as he got emotions back under control, so Varric remained patient until Cole popped out of nowhere saying Hawke wanted to see him.

The dwarf walked into the room the couple had been given to see Garrett sitting in a chair by the window while Fenris practiced his reading beside him. "Heard you missed me, Hawke," the story teller grinned.

The Champion laughed, "I always miss my trusty dwarf!" He turned to face Varric and the dwarf's eyes were drawn to the scar on his forehead. Solas had done his best to heal the brand. Now it was just a faded mark on his face from something that could have happened years ago instead of just months. Garrett noticed Varric's staring and scowled.

"Don't start frowning too much, Hawke, Broody frowns enough for both of you," he laughed, pulling Garrett away from whatever dark place his mind was taking him.

"You should have seen some of his frowns over the last couple of days. Enough to make the servant girls swoon," the human beamed and choked when Fenris elbowed him in the ribs.

The two friends talked long into the night with Fenris not once leaving Hawke's side. It was clear that his best friend was not completely well yet, but he would get there and he would have the most important people by his side to help.

i Greatsword gift for Fenris