Under Darkness [AU]

[Carver Amell]

Carver stumbles backward, freezing in the doorway as, from the bed, Hawke's sleepy voice calls out: "--veline?" 

[Tethras Clan]

"Right here, amata," Aveline calls out, giving Carver a hard glare as she gestures at him to leave. "I'm right here. How was your nap?" She gestures one last time then heads for the bed to kneel next to Hawke.

[Carver Amell]

He means to leave, he really does, but he can't bring himself to move. This isn't like Bethany. Just go. You'll see her again tomorrow or-- or whenever. It's best to leave. 

Hawke lifts her head, reaching up to caress Aveline's cheek gently. She glances over her shoulder and--

Carver's breath catches in his throat as he sees the expression on Marian's face. Then he's gone, turning and fleeing the room like a goddamn coward. He's barely aware where he's going, running blind through the oak, unable to see anything but the look on her face. The look of sheer terror, like he was something right out of a nightmare and not her very own brother. 

The look of pain and fear on her face as the blood spreads across her abdomen. 

So intent on his escape is he that he almost didn't see the redheaded dwarf. He barely manages to stop in time to avoid bowling him over...

[Tethras Clan]

From behind them, the two men can hear Aveline rapidly soothing and calming Hawke down. Varric doesn't hesitate a second, Bianca appearing and aiming directly at Carver, the tip of a bolt pressing lightly into his stomach, angled upwards into his chest. "We're going to walk, quietly and slowly, out of here. Then we're going to talk. Make it good," he whispers very, very softly.

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods. Tethras. Of course. "Yessir," he whispers. He takes a deep breath, lets it out, waits for Varric to move first so he doesn't get shot. 

Carver follows Varric out of the tree, head bowed. She was terrified. Of me. Marian. Terrified of me. 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric follows him and, then gestures for him to keep going, until they're about a hundred yards from the small cabin. Finally, he curtly orders, "stop." He stares at Carver, then takes a deep breath. "Explain."

[Carver Amell]

"I've fucked this all up," he says quietly. "I just wanted to see her. She was-- she was meant to be asleep. Aveline was with me. I--" He looks faintly ill, swallowing. 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric takes a deep breath, studying Carver carefully. Then another. No. No. You're better (since when?) than that. Hawke (since her) deserves better than that. And so does Carver (just him?). He (I?) deserves a chance to... Think it out. Focus. Use this. "You didn't mean it," he finally says aloud. "But it did happen. What do you plan to do about it?"

[Carver Amell]

He lets out a low moan, beginning to pace. "I don't know. I don't know what I can do. Aveline's going to murder me. You're going to murder me. If I somehow survive, none of you are going to want me here." He takes a deep breath, grabbing at his hair with both hands. "No. No, Hawke, you're not running. Marian's family. I said I was staying and I will. Even if she never wants to see me again, I'm the head of the family now, it's my duty to take care of her. I'll, I'll pay her expenses anyway, at the very least. I'll keep trying. I am not giving up on her." 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric raises an eyebrow. "Head of the family? You realize that not only is she older than you, I'm the head of her family." Before Carver can react, Varric presses on, "consider me her father-electi if you have to. Doesn't change that I have a stronger right to her care. And if not me, then Aveline. But it's... it's good you want to help. To do better. And... unfortunately, from what I heard... this wasn't a bad wake-up. Not... not good, sure, but not... all that bad, for her."

[Carver Amell]

"Not that bad?! This is Marian we're talking about, fearless, foolish Marian who never backed down from a challenge in her life, Marian who always gave as good as she got and half the time gave worse, who hasn't had a civil word for me since we moved to Nyra, and she looked at me like-- like--" 

[Tethras Clan]

"She's been broken? Raped and tortured, used to rape and torture others, for months on end? Stabbed through the heart by someone she was twisted and forced into believing with every fiber of her being that she loved?" Varric smiles coldly. "She's not the Hawke you knew. She's certainly not whoever you made her into in your jealous, bitter fantasies. Accept that or you're more harm than help to her."

[Carver Amell]

He moans, turning away from him. "This was a mistake," he mutters. "Astea, Astea, this was a mistake. I should never have come here, I should never have--" He takes a deep breath, continuing to pace. "Gods above. I thought-- I thought nothing could be worse than Mother." 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric curses softly- and his accent and diction are much, much better than Carver's. Which, dwarf, so that's to be expected. "Look. She's getting better. And if... her next good day, after we've had a chance to explain you're here and you're willing to try and be her brother, for real, then... then it could be good. But you're going to have to work for it. She's going to... it hurts. Seeing her. Obviously. But... we owe her to... to do it. To help."

[Carver Amell]

"I know that." To his credit, he sounds like he does -- his voice is more subdued, almost remorseful. He doesn't stop pacing, clearly struggling to keep his act together. 

A moment later, he takes a deep breath and turns, facing Varric. His shoulders are squared, his feet planted firmly. "Gamlen is dead. I don't know if you know that, but he is. I've dealt with his estate, and with mother's. You haven't legally adopted my sister, so that makes her care my responsibility." He holds up a hand to ward off complaints as he hurries on: "So tell me what the healer's billing you, and I'll settle up, see to her care. If she's left any personal effects back in Nyra, let me know, I'll have them shipped with my things. She's not going back there, not ever again. I don't know what will help her now, but I know that much."