As the Champion of Kirkwall looked back to her companions, she saw the same expression of pity mirrored back to her, in varying degrees. The guard captain's jaw was clenched tightly, but the wrinkle in her brow betrayed her. Merrill was incoherently muttering, her nervous fingers plucking at the air frantically. The pirate queen's stance was carefully poised to mimic indifference to the cataclysm exploding around them, but Isabela's eyes could not meet Hawke's. Varric watched her, carefully, his shoulders slumped and eyes ringed in sorrow. Even Fenris, whose face might have been cast in stone softened briefly as Hawke's gaze caught his. The Champion did not need to look for Sebastian; his rage polluted the air as thickly as the Quinari's poisonous gas had, once. A lifetime ago.

As for him, well, she wasn't going to even imagine how his face looked. Besides, she already knew every expression by heart.

Hawke leaned her head skyward and took a deep breath, only to choke on particles of debris and smoke. She coughed violently, forcing her burning lungs to clear. She noticed her hands were trembling and so she turned them into small fists, held stiffly by her sides. Eyes closed, she asked for opinions from her party, though her choice had already been made. A nicety, she told herself, and had to fight the sudden, terrible, urge to laugh. She remembered how passionately she had pleaded with the old woman cleric and how she had tried to swallow the sourness of her own fear. Days ago.

A shrill scream of pain or terror forced the Champion to open her eyes. Her companions remained. They were all looking to her, waiting, just as they always had, though the world around them was burning. For the first time in her life, the Champion of Kirkwall wanted to disappear. For the first time, the Champion resented all of her friends. Can none of you act on your own principles?

Hawke shook her head, this was not their fault. If anything, they had tried to warn her about him. They cared for her. They were her family.

Hawke turned toward him but could not look into his face. There was only one thing she could say.

"Come with me." she said, thickly. "Help me defend the mages."

The healer startled and tried to look at her, eyes wide with disbelief. "You mean... stay with you? I didn't think you'd let me. But if you do, I'll fight the templars. Damned right I will."

Hawke's gaze remained fixed on the filthy pavement beneath her feet. The ground was shiny with so much blood.

Sebastian's furious ranting forced her to look at him. His armor is ridiculous she mused. Far too white and clean. He was still talking, heatedly, and though she knew he was spewing something, probably something serious, Hawke couldn't seem to focus on the words.

She could still, however, interpret a threat towards the man she loved. Loves?

"Do not interfere, Sebastian." Hawke snarled, her mind snapping into perfect clarity.

It was obvious Sebastian had not anticipated her reaction. "We were friends, Hawke! I thought I knew you!"

The Champion said nothing, but her hands twitched towards the daggers on her back. And it was in this moment, a brother of the faith become a prince. His eyes, keen on hers narrowed in disgust. He spoke slowly, his anger punctuating every syllable "I swear to you, I will find your precious Anders. I will teach him what Justice truly is."

"I believe you will try, Sebastian." Hawk replied. She smiled listlessly and shrugged one shoulder. "I am sorry."

"You've made your choice, Hawke." Sebastian spat, turning on his heel, toward Starkhaven.

At this, the Champion did laugh. And what began as a small chuckle soon became a breathless gale of hilarity. Tears streaming, she called after him. "Choice?!" Hawke choked, sobering. "We have no choices, Sebastian! Can't you see?! We all just do as we must." The prince's stride slowed as her words reached him and then immediately resurfaced with vigor. Well, at least he heard me, she noted with grim satisfaction.

Anders muttered something to her that she did not hear. She did not care to hear.

"Right." Hawke said, after it was apparent Sebastian would not make good on his threat today. "Let's go start a revolution." And with that, she began her heavy march towards the Gallows.

When she dared to glance back to that place, that crate, the brother was gone. All that remained was the haze of smoke and the judgment of a blood red sky.

*******
AN: Sorry for any errors, I'm roughin' it. Please, feel free to criticize. I'm a masochist like that.