Hawke felt something tickling her nose. She lifted her hand to swat it away while turning her head to the side to get comfortable again. The tickling persisted. Hawke opened a lazy eye to find Isabela's face only mere inches from her own. She threw her hands up, trying to fumble out of bed. "Bela!" she groaned, "You're going to give me a heart attack."

"Sorry kitten." Isabela smiled at her.

Hawke layed back down on the bed and groaned. She patted the bed for Bethany, but found no one. She jumped up from the bed, her heart dropping to her feet.

"Don't worry, she's fine." Isabela laughed as if she read Hawke's mind.

Hawke sighed in relief and began trying to pull the tangles out of her hair.

"She actually sent me to fetch you, something about..." Isabel trailed off placing a finger on her lip.

"What? Mother's gone ballistic with worry?" Hawke half laughed as she went over to a basin of water Varric must have left out and splashed some onto her face. The cool water felt refreshing, almost as if it were chLfing the hangover away.

"No.." Isabela trailed off, "Does training the guard mean anything to you?"

"Oh shit Aveline's gonna kill me!" Hawke threw a hair tie around her long locks and began to rushed out the door, only to smack into a hard armor-plated chest.

"Ow" was all she could manage as she grabbed her nose with both hands, tears coming to her eyes.

"Hawke, I-" she knew that voice. Fenris stopped talking as she frantically waved one hand in the air to quiet him. The memory came flooding back of them together last night in a tight lip lock and she could feel her face begin to burn hot. She really didn't have time sort out her emotions right now...just the memory of his lips on hers made her mind race.

"No time, meet me. Guard field. Half hour. Gotta. go." she took off running again stumbling over a few things on her way down throwing apologizes over her shoulder. Fenris stood there for a moment watching her leave, an amused look on his face. He was hoping to spend sometime with her this morning to...sort out last night, but it could wait for now. Just being near her was always enough for him.

Hawke stumbled into the training ground, half of her armor buckled and the other half dangling loose. Bethany and Caboose were already there training with the guards. Aveline noticed Hawke walk in and went over to her.

"I see sleeping beauty decided to grace us with her presence."

Hawke rolled her eyes while fidgeting with her armor. "Blame Beth, she left without waking me."

"I think we can blame it on the booze, Hawke." Aveline leaned up against a post smiling to her friend.

"That works" Hawke smiled buckling her last belt buckle into place. "Did I miss much?"

Aveline sighed heavily looking exhausted which Hawke had never seen on her before. Aveline shook her head, "Not much, everyone is pretty...bad."

Hawke put a hand on Aveline's shoulder. "Well now that you're guard captain that will all change, and I will help you."

Aveline nodded her head. "Well if you are saying that then it must be true."

She took her leave from the post gathering the guards up introduce them to Hawke. Hawke wanted them to continue their training with Caboose or Bethany so she was able to see if they were doing anything wrong. She corrected them several times by pointing out weak points in their stance or how swinging their sword a wrong way could mean a broken arm. Hawke was a natural at fighting, almost as if it were the back of her hand. Which she had her father to thank for that. Waiting for a templar attack was something they prepaired for, yet it never came.

Once the guards had had their share of fighting they were all huddled around one another laughing and talking with one another. Hawke and Aveline hatched a plan amongst themselves quietly.

"All right everyone" Aveline said standing in front of them with Hawke, "Now is for the real challenge. You're going to try and disarm Hawke."

The guards became silent as a grave yard.

"Any volunteers?" Hawke eyed the crowd.

Everyone was still quiet, eyes all on Hawke. So her reputation proceeds her...she began to give up hope when finally Donnic stepped forward. Hawke nodded towards him, impressed with his courage. She went a ways away from everyone and took one of her daggers out. "Ready when you are Donnic."Hawke took her stance waiting for him to charge her.

"You're not going to use both daggers then?" Donnic questioned.

"Trust me, you don't want her to use both" Aveline mused.

"Alight then." Donnic shrugged taking his sparring sword and charged Hawke. Donnic had held his right elbow out to far again, something she tried correcting in his previous training. Now she would show him the reason why she warned him about his arm in the first place. When he was almost smack in front of her she kneeled down, swiping at his leg with her dagger to distract him. In which he did focus on that one movement without fail. She threw her arm up and wrapped it around his own linking them together. She grabbed his forearm and flipped him onto his back with a thump. She held the blade to his throat, narrowing her eyes.

"I told you to keep that arm tucked Donnic." she smiled to him. He gave her an amused look and laughed out of embarrassment.

"I see your reputation doesn't fail you Messere Hawke."

Hawke sheathed her blade to help him up. She continued this with each guard this way. If they had listened to her advise they almost always left something else vulnerable for her to strike, and if they didn't she made sure to let them know what could happen. When Aveline felt like they had enough she gave them a brake.

By then Hawke had worked up quite a sweat herself, walking over to the post Bethany was sitting on with Anders who had shown up only moments ago. Bethany gave Hawke a leather pouch of water and she downed it, poring a bit over her head. "It's so hot" Hawke whined pushing the wet hair out of her face. Caboose when up to her and brushed up against her hand. She kneeled down scratching him behind the ears and laughed at his happy demeanor.

"You've been going at it for a good while now." Andre piped in.

"I thought they'd be more of a challenge for you, sorry for that Hawke. Obviously we have things to work on." Aveline shook her head.

"They're a lot better than you think, I didn't go easy on them. Even if I only had one dagger..."

"I thought they'd be more challenging to you" Aveline sighed.

"I can challenge you sister." Bethany jumped down off of the post she was sitting on and drew her staff.

Hawke put the pouch down on the post and gave an amused look. "Oh really?"

"Really. It's been ages since it's been just me and you going against one another."

"Well we have to get back on patrol." Aveline looked towards Hawke. "Till next time?"

Hawke nodded and then looked back at Bethany a mischievous smile on her face. "Let's go Beth."

"Maybe you should rest first?" Anders suggested. Hawke looked plain exhausted from last night.

Hawke gave him a smirk before she turned tail to run a few lengths away from them. He shook his head at her competitive nature, while it was all in good fun he felt like he was the only one who worried about her health.

"Don't hold back!" Bethany called to her. Hawke nodded her head in acknowledgement. She stood with her daggers out at arms length, her left leg was in front pushing a bit of grass down so she could get proper footing.

Bethany was the first to lob a block of ice at Hawke, she dodged it easily and took off sprinting towards her. Bethany responded by raining a few fiery drops down onto her, making Hawke do a variation of back flips to avoid the flames. She jumped high into the air, daggers pointed at her sister as she dropped down onto her. Bethany used the air and pushed herself away from where she was once standing, making the wood posts shake. Hawke landed hard on the ground barely missing Bethany. She recovered quickly, going after Bethany again. Her movements were light and graceful as she swiped her blades at her. Bethany moved her staff to block Hawke's blows one by one. Blades being met by staff as if they were mirroring one anothers movements. Hawke let down a hard blow which cut deep into Bethany's staff, causing Bethany to shoot shards of ice to cover her hands. Hawke pulled back, shaking her hands off from the cold.

"You've gotten better" Hawke smiled.

"Or you've gotten rusty" Bethany mused back, lodging more ice blasts her way.

Hawke knocked them away with her daggers and laughed, "Never in a million years"

Fenris had to ask directions to the guard post. He had only been in Kirkwall for a few months and was still having a difficult time knowing where everything was. He only had Hawke to blame for that...following her distracted him more than it should. It was mainly those swaying hips. He was beginning to get nervous about seeing her. His head was swimming on thoughts of what to say to her, or even what to do. He couldn't get his mind off of those soft lips...if she willed it he would have taken her they did share a kiss last night...but what did that mean for them? Maybe she...no, he didn't want to think on this subject any further.

He managed to find the tower finally, coming upon it he saw Hawke in her armor delicately balancing on her feet with her daggers drawn. There was a sheet of ice that morphed in front of her making her skid to a stop. She turned quickly as another ice block caught her ankle. Fenris crouched down and drew his sword immediately. He saw Bethany come closer towards Hawke saying something, as Hawke was desperately trying to free her leg. The ice began creeping up her boot slowly. It was like he had thought, no mage could ever be trusted. Fenris leapt up to strike Bethany down before she could hurt Hawke any further. He would keep her safe no matter what.

~Hawkes pov~

Hawke was trying to pull her leg free. No way was she going to lose to her little sister like this. She saw a flash a blue next to her and looked to see Fenris with his sword out running towards them. It was if time when in slow motion then. She cursed herself for not letting him know they would be training today, and this is the first time he had ever accompanied them to this place. He must have thought Bethany was trying to hurt her, by the look of things. Hawke gritted her teeth while calling his name, but his eyes were full of blood lust. Hawke pulled her leg from the ice block, forcibly twisting her ankle in the process but the adrenaline was pumping through her veins didn't even register that fact to her brain. She stumbled forward as Bethany finally noticed him and wouldn't have enough time to react. She may have gotten better at close range fighting but surprise attacks were another thing entirely. Fenris brought his sword up to strike her and Hawke hobbled between them desperately. She brought her arms up grasping her forearms together. The blow came down heavy and fast and she could feel the heat tear through her flesh as easily as tearing a piece of parchment. Hawke fell to her knee cringing at the pain. The blade was removed as suddenly. He must have not used his full force because her arms were still in tact, but she felt like she lost control of her right arm . She looked up toward Fenris to see his horror-stricken face. He had a bright red mark covering one side of his cheek as if he was punched. Her attention was caught by another glowing figure, and noticed it was Anders. The blue glowing light engulfing his entire body and eyes. "You shall not harm her elf." Justice's voice boomed as he took a fighting stance.

Bethany was kneeling next to Hawke, blood covering her robes and face. "Anders, Hawke needs you! There's no time for this" she yelled desperately as a wave of healing mage fell over Hawke's body. Bethany knew how to dull the pain as best, but she was no where near Anders level of healing. Justice stood there between Fenris and the two girls. He had full take over his body with nothing but the image of Fenris's head put on a pike, flashing in his mind. Not now, Anders pleaded desperately. She needs me.

"ANDERS" Hawke yelled as her adrenaline began to relax, pain taking its place. The blood was pouring from Hawke's wounds covering anything it touched. In that moment Anders was able to chase Justice away long enough to take control of his body again. He ran over to Hawke. Her wounds were deep. Her right arm was the worst by far as the bone was almost cut completely through. Anders began to heal her closing up the wound throwing Fenris a hate filled look. Hawke had sweat pouring off of her, a pained and miserable look was on her face. Fenris couldn't bare anymore. It was one thing seeing her like this of her own accord, but knowing he had done this to her...he didn't deserve her affection in the slightest.

Hawke saw him give a hurt look and began to back away. "Fenris!" she yelled after him trying shrugging off Anders to go to him. She made an attempt to stand, but her leg gave way under the weight of her body and she fell back down. "Its not your fault!" she gritted her teeth. He stopped briefly at her words.

"What do you mean? This is his fault!" Anders said angrily. "He almost cut you in two, and for what?"

"You don't understand him" Hawke growled as Anders was trying to mend her bone back together. She looked back to Fenris was but was disappointed to see him gone.

"Bloody coward." Anders scoffed.

Hawke didn't see much of Fenris after that day. Leandra said he stopped by briefly as she was sleeping, but Anders had run him off. She tried stopping by his mansion a few times but was surprised to find the door locked. Anders had asked her to take it easy for a few weeks as he could mend the bone, but it would have to finish healing on it's own. Which caused her to have to wear a sling for a few weeks.

Anders kept a steady eye on her making sure infection didn't set in. Her and Anders got closer over those few weeks. Hawke had learned more about him than she would by just fighting at his side. He was witty and bright. She loved the way he smiled when she poked fun at him. It was half embarrassed and half something else she couldn't read. He would read her his manifesto at night, and she would makes corrections to better get his point across. He sounded to angsty and droning on a never ending rant, majority of the time. I take droning to a new art form Hawke. He would tell her, which made her smile. Hawke would watch him sleeping in the chair next to her bed when she woke up during the night a few times. She would wake up during the night thinking it was Fenris there again like the time before. Merrill came over to decorate her sling with small flowers, and also to help Hawke wash and braid her long hair. When she went to the hanged man for a night out Isabela and Varric poked fun at her about being a cripple now. Which made her roll her eyes.

Meanwhile her and Bethany had finally wracked up enough money for the deep roads expedition. It had to wait until she was fully healed of course. Which made Hawke get made at her body for not being able to heal itself faster.

"Batrand can wait. He doesn't have the money to continue without us, and no one have even come close to an offer like ours." Varric reassured her many times.

Hawke had gotten in more arguments with her mother over the past few weeks as well. Not over the usual things like picking up after herself or coming home late, but about whether or not she was bringing Bethany to the expedition with her. The expedition was right around the corner and she decided she was going to bring Bethany with her. There was no other person she would trust to watch her back, and the one person she had in mind besides Bela was Fenris...but seeing as she hadn't heard or seen him in a month that possibility was out of the question. Ultimately, she didn't want Bethany to go, she wanted her to keep Mother safe while she was gone. Yet circumstances made that impossible.

She sighed heavily as the door wrenched open and her mother stepped through with a determined look on her face. She didn't really feel like getting into a fight. She put her head down on the table praying to the Maker.

"Elsa, someone is here to talk some sense into you." Leandra scoffed.

Hawke picked her head up lazily and opened her eyes. Fenris was there. Hawke stood up from the table and stared at him in awe. Fenris had an awkward look on his face as her looked back at her.

"I'll leave you to it then." Leandra slammed the door to her room shut, leaving the two alone in the silence.

Hawke looked at him innocently, going to the other side of the table and crossing her arms.

"So...I go to talk to you and you refuse to open the door...but she goes and you come running over?" she rolled her eyes. "If I knew it was that easy I would have argued with her sooner."

Fenris was looking down studying her exposed arms. The cuts from his sword were still there. Two large pink slits. Hawke threw her arms down angrily and came closer to him. He didn't move, but stood there looking past her. "She said you needed me, so here I am."

"Need you for what?" there was only a small space between them now.

"Your expedition...I'd like to accompany you, so your sister can stay."

"You ignore me for almost a month and now you want to help me? You really are infuriating you know!"

"Hawke" he tried to interrupt her but she kept talking, "And another thing how can you just drop off the face of the earth after what I thought-"

"I couldn't bare the thought of you being hurt because of me." Fenris interrupted her, his voice shaky. "I acted without thinking. I thought I was protecting you. I was...a fool." His marking glowed a faint blue, as he continued to not look at her.

Her face fell at his words. "Fenris, I understand" Hawke smiled up to him lifting his chin up so he would look at her. "It was a mistake, and I know you would never purposely hurt me."

Fenris peered at her through his fringe. She got lost in his eyes, smiling stupidly at him. Hawke was just happy he was even there talking with her now. She snaked her hand into his and held it firmly tracing the lines of lyrium on the back of his hand. This small contact was making her blush, but this is what she wanted so terribly. She had pinned over him, thinking of him and little else. Maybe he hadn't felt the same over the past few month? She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. He was hesitant at first and tried to pull away, but she kept kissing him. He finally responded by pulling her into his chest deepening the kiss. There was the answer she was looking for.