Dangerous

Anders had tried to stay awake to see Marian get home safe, but his exhaustion from the day at the clinic and his work with the underground kept him from doing so. When the door opened and a figure crept inside, Justice could not sit by, and pulled to the forefront, ready to protect the home and the innocents within from this threat. He had never taken control while Anders slept before, so there was none of the usual resistance to his presence that there usually would be.

He swept to the door in long, swift strides, and grabbed the invader by the throat. He recognized a second too late that it was Marian Hawke, Anders love interest, mother of his child. He could now feel Anders fighting against him, the movement of his body having woken him.

"A-Anders please! I-I'm sorry! We were just messing around!" Marian gasped, pulling at the hand on her throat, tears welling up in her eyes, the unnatural blue of Justice reflecting off of them.

"I thought you an intruder." Justice said plainly as he let go of her. She gasped in a few breaths then pushed past him quickly and went to grab Elizabeth from their room. She didn't even bother with a wrap, simply throwing a blanket over her child to keep her warm before running out into the night.

Anders pushed through at last, quickly grabbing his staff and running out onto the dark Lowtown street.

-

Marian had ran from the house, a now crying Elizabeth in tow. She still felt intoxicated, but the surge of adrenaline and fear overwhelmed the alcohol in her blood. He choked her. Or Justice choked her, and Anders didn't stop him. Either way, the only thought in her mind was getting her and Liz somewhere safe. She ran up the stairs, breathing hard, holding Elizabeth tightly to her chest. Elizabeth's cries echoed in the empty stairwell, and she knew that if there were any prowlers out tonight, they would find them for sure. She reached the top of the stairs, hearing a distant call of "Come Back!" behind her, but she wouldn't. She couldn't. Not tonight at least. She turned the corner and ran into Fenris who quickly grabbed her to steady her.

"I heard a baby crying, I was about to turn back and see what poor child was out in the street but... What are you doing out here?" Fenris looked her over, bewildered. Tears were streaming down her flushed red cheeks, she was breathing hard, Liz crying into her chest.

"Protect us, please. I can't go home. He..." She trailed off, fresh tears welling up. Fenris felt a flash of rage build in his gut, but simply nodded his head in affirmation and scooped Marian up into his arms, Liz nestled against their chests, safe and warm and still quite upset. He ran as fast as his lyrium-enhanced legs could carry them to the mansion. Once inside he set her down onto the couch by the fire and then went and secured the door.

When he came back Marian was feeding Liz and her expression was blank, her eyes staring beyond the fire.

"Marian? Tell me what happened."

Nothing.

"Come on, Hawke, say something." He knelt down next to her, and from this new angle, with the added firelight, he was able to see the bruise beginning to form on her neck. Without thinking he reached his hand out to gently touch it with his fingertips, and the touch on her neck broke her trance, she flinched away hard, turning her body to shield Liz.

"Please I-! I... Fenris. I'm sorry." She calmed after staring at him for a moment, setting back into her seat, making sure Liz was comfortable. She would probably be fussy later, the milk being tainted by Mama's bad choices, but at least she was here, safe in her arms.

"Did your abomination do this to you?" Fenris asked quietly, firmly. He would accept no excuses or apologies on the mage's behalf.

"He... Yes. I tried to sneak in and he... he said he thought I was an intruder."

"This Anders needs to be dealt with."

"I don't think it was Anders, I think it was Justice."

"And what unjust crime did you commit to earn this?" He gestured to her throat, the hand shape bruise already forming to a nice dark purple.

"It's more complicated than that, Fenris. Anders would never hurt me of his own accord."

"But he has hurt you. Regardless of intent, he hurt you." Fenris gently set his hand on her arm, squeezing her bicep, as she had done to comfort him a few short hours before.

"You're a good man, Fenris. I'll go home in the morning, have a serious conversation with Anders. Liz and I both need our sleep now, though."

"I've cleaned up the Master bedroom, the bed is in good condition, you two should sleep there. I will sleep here in case your man tries to come here for you." He helped her up from the couch and she leaned against him. Liz pulled away from the teat and stretched out, relaxing against her mother.

"Ah, Marian you're..." he cleared his throat, looking up towards the ceiling. "You're exposed."

"It happens. After I've laid her down I can cover up, right now I need to hold onto you for these stairs."

"As you say." He responded quietly, keeping his gaze away from her body as he helped her get up to the bedroom. The bed was unmade, and he had made the space his own by defiling the artwork, but she didn't seem to care, simply going over to the bed with a content sigh as she sat on it.

"This is heavenly. Thank you so much Shiny." She smiled up at him, laying Liz into the middle of the bed then covering herself back up.

Fenris looked down at her and the baby laying in what had become his bed, and smiled softly. "I'm glad I could help, Marian. If you have need of me, I'll be downstairs." She nodded in response then settled into the bed, curling herself around her child protectively.

-

Anders had searched every corner of Lowtown, interrogated and killed every ruffian he came across, but found no sign of Marian. Then it struck him what she had said while he...

She said that they had just been messing around. Something happened with Varric, maybe she would have gone to hide with him. He ran back to the Hanged Man and forced his way into Varric's suite.

"Varric! Where are you?!" He called out into the suite, and received a groan in response.

"I just fell asleep, what'd'ya want?" The dwarf called back from his bed.

"Marian, she came home then took Liz and ran off. Where is she?"

"That doesn't sound like her. Maybe she went to the Chantry? Or Fenris' place, they were having a great time, maybe she wanted to have a slumber party." He grumbled.

Anders went into the bedroom fully and pulled Varric out of the bed by his shirt.

"Shit, Blondie! What'd'ya do that for?"

"Take me to Fenris." He stared hard at Varric, who glared back at him like a petulant child, then he sighed and relaxed his stance. "Please?"

"Ugh, fine, but you owe me." Varric quickly put on his coat and boots, and grabbed Bianca. He led Anders up to Hightown, and the entrance to Fenris' not-so-humble abode. He tried the handle and found it to be locked.

"Alright Blondie, looks like he locked up for the night, can I go to bed now?"

"Pick the lock. Please."

"I don't know what in Andraste's name you think is going on here, but it really isn't this serious. So what she made him blush a little, she does that. She loves you too much to cheat on you..." Varric told him while picking the lock.

"That's something to think about later, that's not why I'm worried. I did something awful, and I need to make it right."

"If I was well-rested I'd be interested in seeing how this plays out, but I'm tired, and still a little drunk, so you'll just have to tell me the story later. Good luck in there, Blondie." Varric gave him a slap on the back then left

Anders opened the door as quietly as he could and went inside. He had never been here before, and had no idea where Marian would be. He could see light around the corner though, and followed that. He tried his best to be quiet, but apparently he wasn't quiet enough, because as soon as he rounded the corner, he was face to face with Fenris, sword drawn, tattoos glowing.

"I knew you wouldn't just let her leave. Men like you never do." He snarled at him.

"I'm worried about her. She could've been attacked, or taken by Templars, I needed to find her."

"Oh yes, find her and drag her back home, because you can't stand her being out of your sight."

"It's not like that! I just want to protect her."

"You're the one she needs protected from!"

"How dare you?! I would never hurt her!"

"You already have! I saw the bruise with my own eyes."

"She's bruised?" The anger deflated out of Anders at that revelation. Justice's intention was to restrain, to scare. She shouldn't have been bruised. No wonder she ran, he hadn't just scared her, he had injured her.

"Yes, you left your mark. I can't imagine her family will react kindly to the sight."

"I can heal the bruise. They don't have to know about this." Anders responded quickly, then stopped and deflated more as Justice screamed inside of him how wrong that would be.

"Exactly as I thought. Now you will either leave as a man, or stay as a corpse."

"That won't be necessary, Fenris." Marian's voice surprised them both as she came into the room.

"Marian, I'm so, so sorry for what happened. I wasn't in control, I would never-"

"I'm still upset with you, I only came down here to tell you two to shut up."

"I apologize, Marian." Fenris said with a little bow of his head.

"Marian, love, I'm-"

"Later. Let me sleep on it, then maybe we can talk about it."

Anders nodded and let his eyes drift down from hers to her throat, his heart breaking at the sight of the bruise that he caused. He left the mansion silently, the shame overwhelming as he returned to his clinic.

-

"I'm sorry I got you involved in this mess." Marian said quietly after Anders had left, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Don't be, I would rather be here with you than anywhere else."

"You're such a sap." She teased, though it was not with the same gusto as her usual humor.

"May I... May I hug you, Marian?"

"We hugged earlier, and you've carried me around twice now, I see no reason why not." She smiled softly and allowed Fenris to come forward and embrace her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing softly as they hugged.

"I don't know where to go with all of this. I do love him, and he's been a wonderful partner and father, but what if it hadn't been me? What if it was Liz, sneaking home after staying out too late with her friends?"

"Uhm, Marian..."

"I know, right now that's not something she can do right now, but he's not going to just stop being possessed by Justice. Someday she'll be a reckless young woman. What if she does something Justice doesn't approve of? Will she ever be safe? Will I ever be safe?" She shuddered in his arms and he held her tighter.

"I don't have any answers for you. But for as long as you have need, I will protect you. You and Liz."

"It's probably the alcohol talking, but that's very romantic of you, Fenris."

"Perhaps it is, but you are upset and drunk."

"Have I told you you're a good man?"

"Yes. Yes you have." He chuckled.

Marian smiled and kissed his cheek, then pulled away from the hug. "Goodnight Shiny."

"Goodnight Marian." He smiled, gently touching his cheek. She was definitely like no mage he had ever known.