Sebastian sighed heavily and ran the fingers of his right hand through his hair once again. Leaning over the edge of the small table he was occupying, he stared unseeing at the tankard sitting in front of him. The ale was only half gone, though; his brain was too busy rushing from point to point to waste time on sending him a message to drink the liquid.

His fingers curled in his hair and he pulled it lightly, trying to make some sense of the events of the night. It had started out so promising, after all. Escorting his lady to a ball, feeling so proud of her when her hard work was paid off with praise from the Viscount… and finally receiving the news that he had so been hoping for.

'We have thought upon your reasons for such a request and find that they are acceptable. Therefore, we grant your request…' Such few words, but they had suddenly opened up avenues toward possibilities he hadn't dared to even contemplate. They were all within his reach when…

"…and so Anders and I came to Kirkwall to find out if someone could possibly help me. When we saw just how bad the refugee situation was, of course I agreed to help him with his clinic. Mind you, I still wanted very badly to go home, but getting in to see the Grand Enchanter while accompanied by an apostate mage… it would be like trying to break into the vault at the Merchant's Guild. So, I just eventually decided that I had obviously been sent to this world for a reason. But I've been here for four years already, and while that reason hasn't really made itself known yet, I have this feeling that it relates to Anders somehow," Bailey ended with a small shrug.

Just thinking of how he reacted made him lean down and lightly bump his forehead against the surface of the table a few times. It was during this inner self chastisement that he heard a voice say, "You know, a hammer would work better to drive in any loose nails. Safer, too."

He looked up to find Varric standing there, a slight half smile on his face. "Varric," he said. "Perhaps you should use the hammer upon my head instead. It might convince my mind into accepting some pretty fantastical things I was told tonight."

Varric narrowed his eyes and studied Sebastian for a moment. "Ah," he said, comprehension dawning. "Bailey told you, finally." He climbed into the other chair and clasped his hands together on the table. "It does sound pretty unbelievable, I'll admit. And I write stories for a living. But that," he said, shaking his head. "That I couldn't make up even if I had tried."

"So, you believe her," Sebastian replied.

"Yeah. How could I not? I mean, you've heard her talk. She uses certain phrases that I have never heard before, which is hard to say when you live in a port town. Plus, she has shown me the things she brought with her from her own world. Not to mention what she has told me of it," Varric shook his head again. "It's just too unbelievable to not believe it."

Sebastian stared at him for a moment, finally taking another sip of his drink. As he set the tankard down, he muttered, "She didn't show me anything."

Varric rubbed a finger alongside his nose and quietly asked, "How long did you stick around after she told you?"

Sebastian ducked his head and picked at a rough spot on the table top. "Not long enough, I think."

"Ah." Varric leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, studying the man seated across from him. Sebastian's shoulders were low and curled forward, like he was trying to hide himself. The tension was practically rolling off of him. "Look, I don't think I'm the one you should talk to. Sure, I've known her longer than you have, but she only told me the truth about a year ago. You know who you should talk to; the one person that has known her since her first day in Thedas."

Sebastian lifted his head and sighed. "Anders."

"Yep. Maybe he can offer some insight. Or maybe he can answer magey Fade type questions for you. Those two were thick as thieves for years, after all."

Rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, Sebastian sighed again. Varric was right; Anders had known her the longest and would be able to verify her story. "You're right. Much as I dislike the idea, talking to the mage is my best option."

"No, your best option is to go back to Bailey's and fall on your knees to beg her forgiveness. She might grant it, if you are lucky."

"Yeah, thanks for that Varric." Sebastian stood up and adjusted his plaid. He still hadn't changed out of the Starkhaven formal attire. "Do you think Holly and Anders will be home and willing to accept a visitor so late?"

"I'm sure Holly will be passed out asleep, but from what Bailey told me, Anders doesn't sleep well. Nightmares, she said."

"Hmm. Worth a visit, anyway. Thank you, Varric."

"My pleasure. I need a happy ending for my story, after all." Varric winked and waved him off before climbing from the chair to make his way up the stairs to his own suite.

Sebastian watched him go for a moment before turning abruptly to head out the door. Being out in Lowtown at night by himself wasn't the best of ideas, considering he had only a couple of daggers on him, but he made it to Hightown without any incidents. As he approached the door of the Hawke estate, he chewed a thumbnail and contemplated on how to ask Anders about Bailey. It wasn't every day that you had to talk to your potential lover's former partner about their possible mental instability, after all.

Letting out a deep breath, he lifted a hand to knock, hesitating for a second before bringing his hand down against the stout wood. He waited for about 30 seconds before knocking again. The door creaked open and he looked down to see Holly's man servant Bodahn standing there and rubbing one eye. "Serrah Sebastian, is everything alright? Shall I call for the Mistress? Please, come in."

Sebastian smiled at the dwarf; even when he was pulled from sleep to answer the door, he remained polite. "No, I'm not here to see Holly. I was wondering if Anders might be here?"

"Oh, yes. He was in the library when last I saw him. Let me fetch him for you." Bodahn disappeared into the house proper, leaving Sebastian in the front reception hall. He stepped over to warm his hands over the banked fire but turned when he heard a soft footstep. He turned to see Anders standing there, barefoot and obviously settled in for the night, wearing soft linen pants and his shirt hanging loosely.

Anders stared at his visitor, wondering just what the man wanted. "Sebastian. This is a surprise."

Sebastian shifted from foot to foot. "I'm sorry to call on you so late. But I need… answers." He caught Anders eyes and tried to convey without more words just what he was there about.

Anders wrinkled his brows in confusion for a moment. His forehead smoothed out and his lips formed a perfect 'O' as he figured it out. He nodded once and said, "I see. Come into the library with me. The chairs are more comfortable and I think we may need a drink -or three- for this conversation."

Sebastian followed him and took a seat in the high back chair Anders gestured toward once they were in the library. A nearby desk held a few books and a couple of bottles. A fire crackled merrily in the fireplace and an oil lamp sat on a small table next to the other chair. He accepted the glass that Anders handed to him and took a small sip, sighing in appreciation of the smooth flavor and soft burn of good whiskey.

Anders sat down in the other chair, leaning forward a little to rest his elbows on his knees and cradled his own glass between his hands. He studied Sebastian quietly for a second or two then said, "So she finally told you, I assume."

Sebastian gazed into the dark amber of his drink and nodded slowly.

Anders sighed and leaned back in his chair. He took a sip of his drink, lifted one leg to rest the ankle on his knee and said, "Alright, then. Where do you want to start?"

Sebastian looked up at him and leaned forward himself. He had to know… "She… is she mentally stable?" It hurt him to ask it, but still…

Anders snorted. "As stable as anyone else that lives in this city. I know that might not be saying much, but…" He looked up at Sebastian and gave him a small tight smile. "Her mind is perfectly fine, Sebastian. You don't need to worry about that."

He let out a little breath at Anders' assurance. "Alright, then. If her story is true… how…I mean, I thought the Veil was a barricade between our world and the Fade. How did this happen?"

Anders rested his hands in his lap and chewed his lip, trying to figure out how to explain this to someone that didn't have any sort of magical abilities. "That is true, for the most part. But as you know, it is possible for things from the Fade to cross over into our world." He gave him another thin smile and made a small gesture at himself. "Obviously."

Sebastian nodded and tried not to think about the spirit/demon that Anders shared his body with and waited for the mage to continue.

Anders lowered his leg back to the floor and stood up, walking over to the desk to grab a sheet of paper, a quill and some ink. He pulled his chair closer to Sebastian's and sat back down again, facing him. He quickly drew out a large circle on the paper then drew lines to divide it into sections, the whole looking something like a wagon wheel. He labeled one wedge area as 'Thedas', the center of the wheel and the spokes as 'Fade', and all of the other sections as 'Other'. He glanced up at Sebastian and said, "I've had a few years to work on this theory and this is what I've come up with. I don't know how true it is, as its kind of hard for me to experiment of course."

He gestured to the section labeled 'Thedas'. "Self-explanatory, I should hope. This is our world, created by the Maker after his first world," he said, pointing to the Fade, "failed to live up to what he wanted. But what if we weren't the only world, or realm of existence, that he created?" Here, he pointed to the other sections. "It's entirely possible that there are other planes of existence, other worlds, that we are unaware of. Worlds that developed differently from ours. Worlds where the Veil is so thick that the people there aren't even aware of it. I think that Bailey is from one of those worlds."

Sebastian stared at the drawing, trying to grasp the idea of multiple worlds existing simultaneously with the one he was most familiar with. "What makes you think that?"

"What all did she tell you of her world?"

Sebastian shifted on his chair. "Not much, I'm afraid. I, um…left before she could really tell me anything."

Anders blinked at him and slowly shook his head. "Oh, Maker. You didn't."

"I know, I know," Sebastian said, holding up a hand to ward off the words he knew he deserved. "I told her I needed some time to think on this, to absorb it. I'm… I'm trying, Anders, but even you have to admit this a lot to take in."

Anders let out a slow breath. "Yeah, it is. And I was there only minutes after she crossed through. But once I realized what had happened, my whole world view got rocked down to the core. So, I do understand where you are at right now." He looked down at his drawing. "Should I continue explaining the possible how of her ending up here?"

Sebastian nodded. "Please do. I need to understand this."

"Alright. Now, the Veil," he continued, "is obviously the barrier and the one thing these worlds all have in common. We know that on this side, there are certain areas where it gets thin. Demons and spirits can cross through those areas. Of course, they can also be called from the Fade. But that's a whole different thing than what we are dealing with here."

Anders set the paper aside and picked up his drink to take a quick sip. "So, did she mention the glowing worms in the cave that she found?"

"Aye, she did. Are they significant somehow?"

"Very. Have you been into the caves up on Sundermount with Hollie? If so, have you noticed the glow worms in some of the smaller caves?"

Sebastian sat back in his chair and tried to remember. It had been a few months since he'd last been to the mountain. "I vaguely remember seeing a bluish light in one of the caves. Were those the worms you speak of?"

Anders nodded. "Yes, those are indeed. Those things sort of feed on Veil energy, especially in places where it's particularly thin. The cave that Bailey discovered in her world was in a very out of the way location according to her, so it's quite possible that it could have gone for years, decades, centuries even, without being disturbed. But Bailey stumbled upon it, and her curiosity got the better of her. I think," he said, pausing to choose his words carefully, "That the worms created a sort of tunnel, if you will, that led directly from her world into ours. So she never even knew she was crossing through the Fade."

Sebastian leaned back in his chair, stunned at this thought. "Maker…she could have been attacked by a demon at any time and would have never known what happened."

"But that is just it. I think, somehow, the worms protected her from the rest of the Fade, almost masking her journey through, so to speak. Almost like…"

"Like she was being led here," Sebastian cut in. He sat for a moment, thinking about what she had said to him. "She actually said something like that when she told me."

Anders cocked his head, one eyebrow raised in interest. "Really? Do you mind telling me what she said?"

"Well, she said that when you and she arrived here in Kirkwall and found out just how hard it would be to see the Grand Enchanter – she actually likened it to attempting to break into the vault at the Dwarven Merchants guild, by the way – she eventually decided that she had been sent to this world for a reason. She went on to say that it's been four years and that while the reason isn't any clearer, she is pretty certain that it…" Sebastian paused and cleared his throat anxiously. "That it has to do with you."

Anders stared back at him, dumbfounded. "With me? But…why would she think that?"

Sebastian shrugged and lifted a hand to scratch the back of his neck. His shirt collar was really starting to irritate. "She didn't say. And I didn't exactly ask." He gazed at the other man for a moment before saying, "She still cares for you, you know. She told me that a small part of her always will. But you hurt her deeply."

"I know," Anders said, closing his eyes and wincing inwardly. His hand drifted up to touch the flower pendent he still wore. He opened his eyes and met Sebastian's stare. "It's been so long, and I so want to tell her how sorry I am. I…I don't expect her to come back to the clinic, now that she has so many other obligations, but I just want the chance to talk to her, to apologize. The right way. Would you…?"

Sebastian considered his words and studied his expression. He finally nodded and said, "I will pass on your message, but she will make the decision. I won't force her. I trust her to know what is best for herself."

Anders nodded once and said, "You trust her as I didn't." He noticed he still had his glass in his hand and lifted it to take a drink before continuing. He needed the liquid courage to make his next statement. "You truly love her."

Sebastian didn't blink or hesitate. "I left the Chantry for her."

"I thought you left to take back your throne."

"Bailey was the deciding factor for me. I had vacillated between leaving and staying for too long, but when she told me…" He gave Anders a little half smile. "Well, let's just say that her words are what finally pushed me off the fence and caused me to act. I will take back my throne, and if she still wants me after my behavior tonight, then, well, we shall see what the future holds."

Anders thought about that for a moment or two. Sebastian had done for her what he couldn't do; the man had changed his life's future into something that could include her. Of course, Anders still cared about her and wanted to see her protected, especially if she was unable to get back to her own world…if she even wanted to now. Sebastian, as a Prince, could certainly see her well cared for and loved as well. She could make a life with him. "So, I take it that you're able to accept this new world view and the fact that Bailey will always be a little different from everyone else in our world?"

Sebastian took a deep breath and said, "I can."

"Then you had better hurry back to her house and pray to the Maker and Andraste that she answers your knock."

Sebastian drained his glass, set it on the floor next to his chair, and stood. "Thank you, Anders. You know, you aren't so bad when you aren't shouting about mage rights." He held out his hand to the mage.

Anders smirked and stood to clasp Sebastian's forearm. "And you aren't so bad when you aren't being a smug Chantry brother. I think I'd like to get to know the Prince… and the man."

Sebastian smiled and squeezed his fingers around Anders' forearm in answer. "Perhaps Bailey will be the bridge between us. She sees the good in you; maybe it will rub off on me."

Anders chuckled and let go of Sebastian. "Perhaps, if she'll consent to talk to me again. Now, go, off with you."

Sebastian turned without another word and hurried out of the library and back through the entry hall. He could only hope that Bailey would answer his knock.

A/N: The second half of this chapter (Bailey's reaction) has been fighting me for months, so I just decided to make it a new chapter and post what I have. I've had this part written for about 2 months but I've been sitting on it, trying to write the next bit. So, tonight on the way home from work, I just thought "Forget it. Post what I have and maybe the next part will come easier." So...here ya go.