"Someone's cheerful," Raeli comments quietly, smiling over at him, keeping an eye on the street - she's had glass in her feet before, she has no desire for it to happen again.

Blaise follows behind them, quiet as ever, trying to stay in Karl's shadow.

“I can’t imagine where you got that idea,” Karl says with a grin. He makes sure to keep close to Blaise, just in case, even with his cloud of near delirious happiness. 

"Honey, you're practically floating."

Karl laughs. “I just...I can’t believe it. He’s free. I’m free. Nothing has to come between us ever again. It feels like some sort of dream.”

"I can imagine. I can't imagine being separated from the one I love for so long."

“Thank your lucky stars that Defiance lives in your head,” Karl laughs. 

"Believe me, we do," Defiance assures him.

“I am looking forward to studying how your bond works. You might be the key to curing abominations.” Karl at his heart is a scholar, and unlocking the secrets of magic has always been his passion. 

Raeli laughs. "I'd be offended if I didn't know you still valued me and Def for ourselves, not just what we can tell you about magic."

“I will forever be grateful for what you did for me. And not just getting me out, but being my friends. My family. And that includes you too, Blaise.”

Blaise startles a little. "I- I just- I was- you would've been out sooner. If you hadn't- if not for me."

“No, Blaise, don’t think like that. Your life is just as important and I wasn’t going to leave you behind.”

"None of us were," Raeli adds.

Blaise shrugs awkwardly. "I- um. As you say?"

“And I think you’re fascinating too. I want to know how you’ve formed such a solid body.”

He shrugs a little. "I- don't. Remember."

“We’ll find out. Together. And then maybe I’ll write a book,” Karl grins. 

That gets a tiny smile out of Blaise.

"I'd read that for sure."

Karl smiles, and hugs the elf. 

They come to the Darktown steps, and start heading in, every step making Karl’s heart thud in his chest. It was all he could do to stop himself from running there, to throw himself into Anders’ arms, to murmur sweet nothings into his ear about all the time they had now.

Ilska is sat cross-legged outside the clinic, sharpening a sword.

“Ilska!” Karl calls when they get close enough. He waves, grinning broadly. 

She looks up, gives half a wave back, pushes herself to her feet. "Cia," she calls softly.

Cia appears in the doorway and smiles slightly when ey sees Karl, Raeli and Blaise, although it is a little strained.

“It’s so good to see you both again!” Karl says, grin faltering a little when he sees Cia’s strained smile. 

"Freedom seems to agree with you. With all of you."

Karl laughs once, grin back firmly in place. “I’ve got a life stretching out in front of me now, it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt. And you’re both a part of that. Thank you so much.”

He looks past Cia, into the clinic. “Is Anders...busy?” He sounds very hopeful that he isn’t. 

"Yeah, about that-"

"He's off on some expedition into the Deep Roads," Ilska says before Cia can make it sound like Anders is dead or worse, in the Gallows.

“He’s not here? But-“ Karl grasped for a reason that Anders would return to the place he’d said in so many letters was a living nightmare. “Why did he leave you two behind? Is he back with the Wardens?”

And there was a thrill of fear. If Anders was a Warden again, Karl had lost him. 

"Woman came here looking for maps. Anders decided he had to go to make sure she didn't tell the Templars about us."

"Didn't seem much like a Warden."

“Left you here to keep you safe. Sounds like him, the self-sacrificing martyr,” Karl says, and even though he meant it as a joke, his words come out a little angry, and very worried. Any body going into the Deep Roads who wasn’t a Warden is mad, and if they ran into darkspawn. 

“How long ago? And where did they enter?” Karl is already forming a plan to go after him. 

Ilska catches his anger, and narrows her eyes.

Blaise shies away slightly from him as well.

"No." Raeli's voice is firm.

"If Anders is down there I'm going after him. I'm not going to lose him."

"And would Anders be happy if you threw your life away on a fool's errand to try and find him? The Deep Roads are a labyrinth."

"I can't stand here and wait to find out if he's-" 

He can't even say it.

"It wouldn't do much good. They left nearly three weeks ago."

"Three weeks?" Karl can't keep the devastation out of his voice. He's got no chance of finding Anders without knowing exactly where in the Deep Roads they were, or what they were searching for. Maybe he could start by asking people about this woman who wanted maps, see where that leads him-

What the void was he thinking? Anders is a trained Grey Warden, he knows how to handle the Deep Roads, Karl is a Circle mage and has always been a Circle mage, living in the forest for three weeks was the most he'd ever done outside. And he thought he was the one that should go down there?

"This woman, can we trust her?" He asks finally.

"She seemed...reasonable."

"Reasonable." Karl runs a hand through his hair, feeling like his heart is cracking in two. "Do you know when they were supposed to be back?"

Cia shrugs. "No. They didn't seem to have a time frame."

"Could we...wait with you? We could help out. I'm something of a healer, not as good as Anders, but who is?"

"Yeah. That- that sounds. Good."

Karl looks over his shoulder. "Rae? Def? Blaise? That okay?"

"We're good with that," Raeli confirms.

Blaise shrugs awkwardly. "I- whatever you. Think best?"

"Somewhere safe to stay and people who need our help. I think that'll work wonders for everyone," Karl assures Blaise, though he doesn't quite feel it himself.

This was supposed to be the start of his new life.

"For what it's worth, they promised an angry Ilska that they'd bring him back in one piece."

"I hope they respect that. And if they don't I won't be standing in her way."

Cia brightens a little at that. "They certainly seemed to." Beat. "Oh, I'm sorry, I- we shouldn't have kept you standing on the doorstep, come in, we're quiet at the moment, thankfully."

Karl follows her in, almost regretting that they're quiet. Throwing himself into something to distract him would be welcome. 

As if anything could distract him. The absence of Anders gnawed at him painfully.

Blaise brushed a hand briefly against Karl's elbow - he knows he can't replace Anders, but he wants to remind Karl that he's not alone, try and make him feel better somehow.

"I was making potions and poultices," Cia says, and it's an offer. "Better to get them done while we're quiet."

Karl smiles at Blaise, thanking him for the small touch. It does help that he has friends- family, around him. 

"I'm afraid I only know the Circle's way of doing it, though I would be more than happy to help."

"Well, I guess I get to teach you if you're doing something the wrong way," Cia says lightly, and ey's obviously trying to tease.

That does make him grin. "I love learning new things," he says, and steps up beside em.

"Me too," ey agrees, and sets about showing them the way they do things here.

Karl is happy to follow eir lead.

And they fall into something of a routine, with Raeli and Defiance coming and going, bringing back game and herbs from their trips out to Sundermount.

And every so often, there's something from Ilska, a spark of mana, when Karl or Cia's getting particularly tired. Although if she notices she's doing it, it's not obvious.

Karl begins to put two and two together, what with the way Ilska always seemed to make him and Cia feel brighter when they were running low. He wondered if Anders knew she was a mage. He wondered if she knew herself.

And then one day, a boy came bursting into the clinic.

Cia immediately turns eir attention to him. "Are you okay?" ey asks hurriedly.

He's a little out of breath. "Lirene- sent- me." He sucks in a deep breath.

"The Deep- Deep Roads- expedition- they're back."

"-Anders?"

Ilska tosses an apple to the boy. "C'mon, let's head up."

Karl jogs to catch up with them, feeling his heart swell. This time, this time he'll be there.

Raeli and Blaise follow after them, taking a moment to blow out the lantern, closing the door behind them.

It doesn't take them long to make it up to Hightown, Cia and Ilska thrumming in anticipation and anxiety.

There's a buzz of activity around the Merchant's Guild, and Cia might spot a few faces that were there the day Anders left.

-Ey does. But ey can't see Anders.

Ilska stalks towards the people she recognises, hand white-knuckled around the hilt of her sword.

"Can you see him? Or Hawke?" 

"No," Cia says, and eir voice is dark and vengeful.

Ilska has focused on the dwarf Varric had been arguing with, is making her way directly towards him. "Where is he?" she asks, voice low and dangerous.

"Where's who?" The dwarf says, snarling right back. He's clutching something wrapped in cloth.

"Anders. The healer you took with you."

"We got separated. My brother took him and the Hawke twins down a passageway that collapsed. There was no way around it. Varric told me to leave 'em behind."

"Wrong answer," Ilska snarls, raw fury lending her strength and she literally lifts the dwarf from his feet to slam him against the wall behind him.

No. No, he can't- He can't have left Karl behind, left Cia and Ilska- He wouldn't-

There's a strange sort of energy surrounding the dwarf, like glowing red veins.

It doesn't stop the expression on his face turning to pure horror. "There was nothing we could do- Deep Roads cave ins happen all the time-"

Ilska snarls wordlessly, slamming him into the wall again.

"And you just left them there to die. Like a coward."

Defiance is watching that energy, because it feels...wrong.

"K-Karl," Blaise says, watching the energy as well, visibly shaking.

Karl can't move, can't speak. His whole being is consumed by Anders dying alone, buried underground, while Karl- 

Karl did nothing.

There's a sick sort of cracking noise, and the dwarf gasps in pain. The energy surrounding him gets a little wilder.

Ilska can feel it, but she doesn't care. This...this bastard abandoned Anders to die and-

"Something's wrong," Raeli snaps, trying to get someone to do something, not sure what that is but...

The energy bursts out in ropey veins of red, sending out a feeling like teeth grinding together.

Ilska drops the dwarf, draws a fist back and goes to punch him, aiming to knock him out.

The dwarf collapses, and the cloth-wrapped thing tumbles out of his hands, and suddenly the weird energy is gone.

"-What the fuck just happened?"

None of the people with Bartrand seem to have any idea. Most are backing away from Ilska, looks of pure terror on their faces.

Defiance steps forward, and pokes the cloth covered object with their foot.

The cloth lifts open slightly, revealing a twisted looking idol, made of red crystalline rock.

Defiance hisses. "Why the fuck did they dig this up? They should've left it buried."

The dwarf starts stirring, already crawling back to the idol.

Ilska slams a foot down onto his back.

Defiance crouches down in front of him. "Is this why you left them?" they ask, gesturing back towards the idol.

"It's mine, it's mine, it sings to me, it's mine!"

Defiance straightens. "We need to destroy it."

"NO!" The dwarf grabs frantically for it, his eyes wild.

Defiance kicks it away, and stands on the dwarf's wrist. "You don't get a say in this."

Cia scoops it up, and considers it for a moment, before lifting it high over eir head and hurling it down at the ground.

The thing shatters, shards of red glowing rock going everywhere. In Cia's hands, it thrums like lyrium.

Ey steps rapidly backwards, shivering.

"We need to get rid of the remains. Put it somewhere it can't hurt anyone."

“It already has,” Karl says. Tears stream down his face, and he looks ready to fall to the ground. 

-Damnit. "I know, honey," Raeli agrees, stepping back to him, and touching his arm. "Can you get Ilska and Cia back to the clinic?"

He leans into the touch, feeling like she’s the only solid thing in the world. 

He nods, but his heart aches to go back there, the clinic the Anders set up because he was good and-

"Blaise, can you help me?" Raeli asks, not pulling away from Karl just yet.

Blaise nods hurriedly.

"Ilska?" Cia says quietly, skirting the smashed remains of the idol to hover near eir sister.

What was he supposed to do now? His whole reason for breaking out was Anders, so they could live free together. He wished he was dead too. Or Tranquil. 

Then he wouldn’t feel anything. 

Cia's managed to pull Ilska away from the dwarf, and towards Karl. "We should-" ey says, sounding utterly lost.

“Yes,” he agrees, sounding just as lost. 

He holds out a hand for em to take, united in their shared grief. 

Ilska guides them both back down to the clinic. She's still furious, but she needs to put that away. Needs to look after Cia. And Karl.

Karl follows her as if he’s in a trance. His entire world lacks colour. 

One week later, Varric mount the steps into Lowtown. “Kirkwall, I never thought I’d be so happy to see you.”

"First and last time anyone is ever gonna say that," Henri agrees.

"But we have made it. And I want Bartrand's heart."

“I can’t say anything against that except save me a piece,” Anders says to Talia darkly. 

“Do you think he’s still in the city? Would we be so lucky?”

"I don't know. But I expect someone will know where he is."

“I’ll start putting out feelers, see what we can catch. You’ll want to see your families?”

That brings a soft smile to Anders’ face. He does want to see his family, he’s missed them terribly. Even Lirene. And maybe now that he’s back, he can find Karl and bring him home too. 

"Yeah. Mama and the twins are probably out of their minds. C'mon, Tal."

And the Hawke twins split off in the direction of their house.

Anders waves as they go. “This is me, coming up,” he says to Varric, nodding at the stairs to Darktown. 

“All right, Blondie. Thanks for all your help, I think we’d still be stuck down there if it wasn’t for your darkspawn sensing.”

“I’m glad my Warden training was useful,” Anders chuckles. “See you around, Varric.”

“No doubt,” says the dwarf, and he heads for the Hanged Man, a few streets over. 

Anders heads down, his smile growing as he gets closer to the clinic. He’s missed them, even missed Darktown. He gives a friendly smile to every person he passes. 

And then he can see the clinic.

Raeli is sat outside, fletching arrows.

Raeli, there, in front of his clinic. His heart swells. Karl is home, he must be! 

“Raeli!” He calls, waving. 

She looks up, and it's the look of someone who thinks she's hearing things. Then she spots Anders and the arrow in her hands falls from numb fingers. "Anders?!"

“The very same!” He calls back, grinning. That’s a nice welcome home, though she looks more shocked than happy. 

"We thought you were dead," Raeli says, tone sharp.

“You thought I was-“

Bartrand. 

“I bet you heard that from Varric’s brother, Bartrand. He came through the city?”

"'Through' might be an exaggeration of what he did."

“Rae?! I heard shouting are you-“ Karl comes out of the clinic, brow furrowed in worry for his friend, but his words (and nearly his heart) stops, the second he sees Anders. 

“No. No, you’re not real. I’m in the Fade, or...”

“It’s me, I swear it is. Bartrand locked us in the thaig, sorry, dwarven city, but we found a way around. It’s me, love, I’m here,” Anders says, holding his arms open. 

He wants to step into his arms, to hold Anders and breathe him in, but he can’t believe he’s truly there. 

“This is a demon, right Def? Rae?”

"Not as far as I can tell..." Defiance says.

Cia appears behind Karl. "Why are we all-"

Ey stops, breath catching, staring at Anders.

“Cia!” Anders says, and tears do start to form in his eyes. “Hey. I promise I’m not dead, I’m here. Varric, the twins and I only just got back into the city.”

That's all the assurance Cia needs to surge past Karl and practically tackle Anders, clinging onto him desperately. "Don't ever do that again," ey says, half an order, half begging.

Anders hugs em back just as hard, pressing a kiss to eir temple. “I won’t, I promise. They’ll have to pull me kicking and screaming.”

Cia’s reaction is enough for Karl. He actually smiles, tears coming thick and fast. “You’re alive.” 

Anders reaches out a hand.

Karl steps into it, hugging him and Cia, tilting his head to kiss Anders fiercely. 

Raeli smiles, finally, breathing out. "Okay, you three, inside. You can continue this reunion there."

Anders kisses Karl back, then kisses his hairline, then kisses Cia’s head, clinging to them both. 

He laughs a little wetly. “Come on, we’re making a scene,” he laughs, letting Karl and Cia go just enough that they can move. 

Karl winds an arm around Anders waist, half expecting him to disappear once he’s not touching him. 

Cia starts to tuck emself against Anders other side, realises that'll make navigating the doorway tricky, pouts, and then slips ahead of them into the clinic.

Once they’re back inside the clinic, Anders is quick to gather Cia back into his arms. 

Home. 

Ey leans into him, wrapping eir own arms back around him.

Blaise is hovering by the door into the back, wringing his hands together.

Karl looks up to see Blaise, and smiles at him. "Everything's okay, now," he reassures.

"Better than okay," Anders murmurs into his hair. 

He turns to look around the room. "Where's Ilska?"

Blaise looks back, and he doesn't seem to be entirely present. "Not real. Not real. Shut up. Voices. Too loud. Not real."

Cia goes still. "-shit. She's--she thinks she's hearing things again."

"She thinks I'm not real." Anders heart breaks for her. "We better go prove she's not imagining me."

He takes Karl and Cia's hands in his.

Ilska's tucked into one of the corners, hands wound into her hair.

Anders gets a little closer, enough that he's within a couple of metres, and sends a small pulse of healing magic.

She glances up to him, and stops breathing for a moment. Then she presses her eyes closed, tugs violently at her hair. Opens her eyes again.

"-you real?"

"Very, I swear it. I can bring Justice out if you need proof."

"-don't particularly feel like being yelled at."

Anders laughs. "Agreed."

He lets go of Karl to open his arms to Ilska.

Karl keeps a hand on the small of Anders' back.

She pushes herself to her feet and steps in to hug him.

Anders holds her tightly, letting out a sigh of relief. "Missed you, so much."

"So don't leave us alone." That's as close as Ilska can manage to reciprocating the sentiment.

"Promise. We stick together from now on."

"Good. That's- good."

Cia joins the hug at that point. "Safety in numbers and all that."

"You'll hear no argument from me," Anders laughs softly. He holds both of them, feeling like everything has settled into place.

"You need food," Cia decides abruptly, poking Anders stomach.

"I second that. I can feel your ribs through your coat."

"My very fancy coat."

"It is delightfully fancy," Raeli agrees. "Still. Food."

"All right. Food." He pulls away from Cia and Ilska, somewhat reluctantly.

Cia squeezes him, before going to see about food, and comes back with bread and cheese. Something that doesn't take ages to prepare.

Anders arranges enough seats around a table, and sits closest to Karl, Cia and Ilska.

"So what kept you?" Cia asks.

Anders look hardens somewhat. "We were two weeks into the Deep Roads when we came across a very old dwarven city. Naturally, Varric wanted to explore, so he took the twins and me along with him. We came across this huge old room, possibly an ancient temple of a sort, when Varric found an idol made of the same red lyrium that was growing around the city. He gave it to Bartrand, who then shut us in. Took us two weeks and many wrong turns to find a way back up to the surface."

Ilska makes a low, angry sound.

"Def took pretty major exception to the idol," Raeli says quietly.

"And Ilska took pretty major exception to Bartrand coming back without you."

"There's something wrong about the lyrium. Never mind the colour, the feeling of it is...off. Tainted, somehow."

Anders grips Ilska's shoulder. "Varric's hoping to reintroduce his crossbow to Bartrand for that."

Ilska glances away with a slightly nervous laugh.

Anders isn’t sure why she reacted that way, but he doesn’t press her. “On the upside, we did manage to find an enormous amount of treasure, so the clinic and it’s allies (the mage underground) will be well funded for some time.”

"That's good!" Cia agrees happily.

“It is. And we’ve got good allies in the Hawkes and Varric. They’re all very well connected. We’re not going to have Templar visitors as long as we keep our noses clean.”

Karl kisses the tip of Anders’.

Anders blushes. 

"Awww," Cia teases.

"Sickening," Defiance says, sounding far happier than their word implies.

Anders wraps an arm around Cia, hugging em close so he can kiss her temple. “I feel like I’m in a dream. I couldn’t wait to get home to you all and here you are.”

"Good luck ever getting as far as the market without these three ducklings following," Raeli points out.

“Just try and catch me leaving without them. We’re doing permanent buddy system.”

"Sounds good to me," Ilska admits quietly.

For the rest of the day, neither Cia, nor Ilska is particularly far from Anders, always within eye sight, and preferably within touching distance. Which both do, randomly hugging him, or brushing against him, trying to reassure themselves that he's really there.

Eventually though, Cia yawns in exhaustion.

Anders always responds with hugs of his own, and tells them how proud he is of their dedication to keeping the clinic running. 

He catches that yawn, and smiles fondly, before heading to Cia. “All right, off to bed with you. You as well, Ilska, you look like you could fall asleep standing.”

"But-" Ilska starts.

"He'll be here in the morning," Raeli points out. "And don't think we didn't notice you not sleeping through the night."

(But they didn't know how to help, how to make her look after herself.)

Cia hesitates. "Promise?" ey asks Anders.

Anders takes eir hand in his, and squeezes. "I promise. I'll be here tomorrow and every day after that."

"I'll make sure to hold him to it," Karl says to Cia.

Cia hugs Anders tightly again, before dragging Ilska into the back.

Anders hugs back just as tightly, and watches them disappear into the back room. 

"They really did miss you. Thinking you were dead...it wasn't good."

"I missed them. If I'd known that Bartrand would betray us like that I never would've left."

He turns a sad smile on Raeli and Karl. "Thank you for being here when I couldn't."

"They're our family too, love."

"What else were we going to do?" Raeli points out.

"Now that you point that out," Anders says with a soft smile. "You're all staying here, now? You're not going anywhere?" He directs this mostly at Karl.

Karl kisses him. "We're not going anywhere."

"Like I say. Me and Def might wander out to find stars, but we'll come back."

"I think after everything, Blaise and I could use some stability. And stars," Karl smiles at Rae.

"I can understand that. Being trapped underground gives you a new appreciation for stars."

"Yeah."

Raeli pauses, looks to the back room and then crooks a finger and points towards the outside of the clinic.

Anders follows her look, heart in his throat, but nods, and heads that way. He's still hand in hand with Karl.

"Guess you noticed Ilska acting like a startled cat when you mentioned Bartrand." It's not really a question.

"I did notice that. Is she okay? He didn't do anything to her, did he?"

"I don't think he'd have managed anything if he tried. She had him up against a wall right after he told her he'd left you guys behind. Like. Literally lifted him off his feet."

"What?" Anders' breath leaves him in a rush. That's no easy feat for someone of Ilska's age. "How did she-"

"Sheer rage? I wasn't paying that much attention to the how, more to making sure no-one was gonna go for her while she was distracted. Karl? Any idea?"

"There is...something. I could feel her healing Cia and me when we got tired. I think she's a mage."

"A mage? Ilska?"

"...that actually makes an alarming amount of sense."

"You're not wrong there, but...how did I miss that?"

"I'm not sure she fully understands what she is herself."

"Given what little I've picked up from her and Cia, it seems like she learned to hide it very young."

Karl's look turns sad. "It's a choice young mages have to make. Some don't even realise they made it."

"But she's kept it hidden even from me. Does Cia even know?"

"If she doesn't remember herself what she is..."

"Then probably not. Maker's breath," he says, and holds Karl's hand a little tighter.

Raeli taps her fingers of one hand on the back of the other, it looks like she has something else to say, but isn't sure whether now is the time to say it.

"She'll need training, we can handle that. Encourage her powers while also being cautious." He notices Raeli's look. "There's something else wrong, isn't there?"

"Depends on your definition of 'wrong'," Raeli says carefully. "You said Varric was going looking for Bartrand." She pauses, breathes in. "He's gonna be lucky if he finds a corpse."

"What hap-" He cuts himself off, staring in shock at Raeli. "He's already dead? Did...was that-"

"I can't swear it was Ilska, I can't even swear he's dead. Just- She snuck out one night, and the next morning, Bartrand had vanished."

"Maker," Anders says on a breath. He didn't care that he was dead, but the danger Ilska put herself in was huge. "No one would've been able to protect her if she was caught. what was she thinking! What if they found her and dragged her off!"

"At least she didn't do it in front of witnesses. We can be thankful for that."

"We can be. She's smart, she would've waited till the opportune time. Maker, listen to me. The relief is that she didn't get hurt or caught is far more powerful than my anger that it happened at all. Though I don't blame her. Justice and I were ready to kill."

"I mean, what he did was really awful. You can't begrudge her a little vengeance."

"No, no I can't. I am thankful she waited until there was no witnesses, but I would've been terrified to see her go."

"To be fair, if you were here, she never would've had to." Raeli's tone is surprisingly light.

Anders dips his head. "Regretting that decision more and more every minute."

Karl wraps his arm around Anders, and tucks his head into his shoulder.

"You didn't think you had a choice. They understood that. And you're back. That's the important thing."

“I’d do anything to protect them.” There’s a flicker of blue lightning across his skin, and a feeling of approval. “Justice would too.”

"Glad to hear it. That makes...five of us? If we're counting spirits. Them and Blaise."

“Agreed. We keep the clinic as a sanctum for mage runaways and lost spirits.”

“With the occasional patient, of course.”

“It’s not really a clinic without patients,” Anders agrees. 

"And what of Varric and the Hawke twins? Allies?"

“We can count on them. The Hawkes have pull with the Viscount and the city guard, and Varric knows everything and everyone. He’s promised some help securing the clinic. I couldn’t say no to that.”

"That's good to know. Reassuring."

“We’ll need those sort of connections if the Templars come calling again.”

"Yeah. Let's hope that doesn't happen for a while. I don't particularly wanna see how Blaise and Ilska respond to Templars."

“Blaise has been through enough, and he has a tenuous grasp on this world. I want to see him safe, and confident he won’t blow away.”

“Nothing will touch him. Or Ilska and Cia. We keep this place safe, they have a home. Though we might need to clear up some more space.”

"Something to get on tomorrow, I suppose. You look like you could use some sleep as well, Anders."

“You’re not wrong, I haven’t slept well in a month.” He stretches, feeling a satisfying crack in his spine. “Thank you for being here and taking care of them. I can never repay you.”

"There's no debt in my eyes. Now, both of you, sleep. I have arrows to finish fletching."

“Yes, ma’am.” Anders heads back into the clinic, taking Karl with him. They both find it easy to get to sleep, finally free and together. 

A few days later, Talia Hawke steps into the clinic once more.

Karl notices her first. He heads over to intercept her. “If you’re here to pull Anders away on another fool errand, there are a few people who will take exception.”

"I'm aware," she says, her tone just an edge too sharp. "I asked him to come as a healer, I didn't expect him to feel obliged to say yes." Pauses, deflates. "I'm sorry, that- I deserved that. I came, I suppose, to try and make amends."

“We’re watching.” Karl nods at Rae. 

Raeli who is busying sharpening arrow heads, and glances up, with a pleasant smile-

-and a flash of Defiance.

Talia blinks, and then inclines her head. "I understand," she confirms. "May I talk to Anders now?"

“Hawke?” Anders calls from the back of the clinic, where he’s elbow deep in a pot, mixing poultices. 

Karl moves aside. 

There's the tiniest of pauses, before Talia steps past Karl and towards Anders.

"One of them," she agrees. "Henri's running interference for me with Mama and the twins."

“I’m sorry I missed him. I hope everything’s okay?”

Talia smiles. "I'll let him know." Beat. "I had an offer for you, if you'd like. An apology. For taking you away from your..people."

"It's-" no trouble? It was. It was the right thing to do? Maybe so, but he doesn't feel that way. Nothing seems right to say, so instead he nods. "You don't need to apologise, but thank you."

"You're probably the only one of your little family to think that," Talia says. "And speaking of your family. Your clinic seems...a little crowded for you all."

Anders looks around the room. “You’re not wrong. It seemed much bigger when there was just the three of us.”

"Turns out, I now have a basement fairly nearby here. Bit more space." She holds out a key. "Even if don't owe you for dragging you to the Deep Roads, I do owe you for keeping me, Henri and Varric alive."

Anders stills, his mouth drops open in shock. “You- that’s a very generous offer, Talia.”

“One that we should very happily take. We can’t very well cram into the back room every night,” Karl says as he walks up next to Anders. 

"Exactly. Listen to the smart man."

“Are you sure? You’re not going to need it?”

"I'm a Ferelden farm girl, who now has a mansion. I have more rooms than I am ever going to know what to do with."

“Such a problem, huge mansions. A very relatable concern,” Anders laughs. He takes the key, marvelling at it. “Thank you, Talia. Truly.”

“Is it close by?”

"Yes. And there is in fact access to it from here. I can show you?"

“Please. I’ll come with you so Anders can stay and keep healing.”

“Let us know how much work it needs,” Anders says with a laugh, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s clearly worried about being separated from Karl for any length of time. 

"It won't take long," Talia assures.

Raeli materialises at Anders side. "I'll come too. Need to stretch my legs anyway."

Anders is unabashedly relieved that someone else is going with Karl. Not because he doesn’t trust Talia, he just doesn’t trust Darktown. Or Kirkwall as a whole. 

“Lead on then, Talia.”

And she does. The basement isn't that far away at all.

"This is close by. And the stairs lead up to your house?"

"Yes," Talia confirms. "There's a library. You're welcome to use it."

"More defensible than the clinic too," Raeli noted approvingly.

"And we have an escape route out to Hightown, if we need it."

"Not really seeing any downsides to the move. More space, better security, better escape routes..."

"It does seem perfect. I think we'll be able to give a glowing report to Anders."

"I'm glad," Talia says with a smile.

"We really appreciate this. It's going to give us a lot of peace, knowing our family is in a safe place."

"I know that feeling. This has been a blessing for us as well."

"We'd better get back, we'll have to plan out with Lirene to get some proper beds."

"...Remember what I said about more rooms than I know what to do with? Like...half of them were bedrooms. There's...five of us? Who need beds."

"We'll try Lirene first, thanks."

"You've done more than enough." 

In more ways than one.

She hums, and heads for the stairs up to the house itself. "I'll bid you good day then."

Karl turns to Rae. "Come on, let's head back."

She glances around the basement again and then nods. "Yeah, lead on."

He does, and once they're back in the clinic, he greets the others with a happy smile. "It's perfect. Room enough for everyone."

"Are you sure it's right to take it?"

"Yes," Raeli says firmly. "I'm not entirely sure what's going on with her, but she seems genuine in this at least."

"And having room for everyone to stretch is a good investment, love. You worked hard for this, keeping them alive."

He can't argue that, logically.

"Well, then. Looks like we have a home!"

"We already had that," Cia says firmly, leaning into Anders side. "We had each other."

(Ilska groans.)

"Oh, Cia. You're getting sap everywhere," he says, kissing the top of eir head.

"One of us has to," ey trills, hugging him. "And it's not going to be you or Ilska, Rae doesn't strike me as the type, and Def certainly isn't."

"I'd like to see Defiance get sappy. That would be hilarious."

"I don't do sap."

Anders snorts.

Karl laughs. "Ever the straight face, Def."

"Def cheats," Raeli complains. "Those masks they create are a fraud, I swear."

"That's why they're not invited to Wicked Grace nights."

"You say that like I don't kick your asses without them."

"Except for the fact I'm pretty sure Ilska is the reigning champion."

"Well, Anders and I have the excuse of lack of experience. Card games weren't exactly on the list of things the Circle permitted."

Anders pouts. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"You're atrocious, love."

"Also the deck we use is ancient. The cards are practically marked."

"We'll put it on the list of things to acquire for our new living space."

"That reminds me, Talia did say she had some beds we could use, but I thought it would be better to go through Lirene first."

"We needed more beds anyway."

"As much as I enjoy the sardine thing, you might be right, Cia."

"Ilska might actually sleep through the night if she had her own bed."

"Maker be Praised, that would be a true miracle."

"Ha. Ha." Ilska sticks her tongue out at them.

"Right. Should we start moving things over? We haven't got much, it shouldn't take too long."

"Well, it does seem to be a quiet period for us."

"Got to take them while we have them," Anders agrees.

"Let's get to work then!"

Anders smiles at her eagerness, and then directs people to certain jobs. 

And they'll set to it.

Anders makes sure all the patients are comfortable, and then joins in with moving things. 

Karl writes a quick note to Lirene, and sends it with one of the young kids that help out around the clinic. 

It won't actually take them that long to move their things - Anders wasn't wrong, they don't have all that much.

“There’s two closed off rooms, and one up these stairs. We could divide part of this room with a curtain.”

"Hm. Yeah. Either for the washroom, or one of the closed off rooms should be the washroom..."

“We’ll use the smaller room as the washroom,” Anders says, inspecting it. “The upstairs room can be Ilska, Cia and Blaise’s. Karl and I will take this room down here, so we can be close to the clinic.”

"Sounds good to me!" Cia says with a bounce.