Blood from Stone [AU]

[Varric]

Trusting Beth to take care of Liz, Varric follows after his son. "Not done." His tone is curt as he steps out of the house. "I am not 'just giving them what they want' Carver. I am bargaining. Liz needs to have some control. They had their freedom and sovereignty taken, their body raped. For months.  If you touch on that, if you remind them of that, it's over. They lock down, they panic and you're the enemy they have to flee and can never trust. We can't help Liz from that position." I'm really concerned that you're already in that slot (and I don't know if you can ever get rid of that label). 

[Carver Amell]

"We can't help her at all! You don't understand how insidious this shit is, Dad! It worms its way in deep in your brain and it never, ever, lets go! I managed alright without help but it was a near thing and I won't, can't, let her fumble through a botched healing when it's this bad!"

[Varric]

"You forget my own brush with addiction. Might not have gone as... deep into it as Liz but I came close to what you did, at least as far as I can tell from the outside of your head. Impossible to tell without deeply invasive mind magics." He waves that off, wanting to stay on topic. Varric's eyes narrow then, as he catches something else. "Without help?"

[Carver Amell]

"Professional help. Even healers see other healers when they're sick!" 

[Varric]

"Merril and Beth are both healers. And Liz is seeing non-family professional help. Admittedly, that doesn't seem to be a good match." He frowns, head tilting. "If Liz is still even going. But yes, like I said, I was going to push for them- and us- all getting new therapists."

[Carver Amell]

He shakes his head. "I'm going to the temple tomorrow. Maybe if I pray hard enough you won't get her killed with your, your... stupidity," he spits. Now there's an insult he's never used against Varric; it's one that's particularly biting for him, given his history with school, but he's always said Varric and Helene were the smartest people he knew. 

So said, he turns again, toward the gate. 

[Varric]

"Come home for lunch before you... please.Don't take a step you can't undo until you talk with Liz again."

[Carver Amell]

"Don't let her die," he snaps, instead of promising. He doesn't look back, striding to and through the gate.

[Marian Hawke]

Liz rocks back and forth on the bed, arms wrapped around herself, trying not to look at the window. I have to leave, she thinks, but every time her brain comes back to that thought, she glances at Beth, at Silence, and can't bring herself to move. 

Finally, her voice a dry whisper, she says, "I have to go. Carver..."

[Bethany]

"I will fight anyone that comes to take you myself," Beth hisses from her spot kneeling at the side of the bed. "Silence too." The mabari grunts, then moves over to lay facing the door, ears pricked forward to show her alertness. "Carver might be willing to..." Give up on you. But that's... I can''t believe he would... it just doesn't make any sense. Unless... does he not... does he not consider Liz to be family? No, he loves her whatever her name. But why... "to do that, but I won't, not ever."  Carver visits Leandra once or twice a month so I guess... I guess to him it's not giving up on someone but it just... 

[Marian Hawke]

"Help me get away," she whispers. "I... I really did want to try. I really thought I could... but it's not safe here. I have to go."

[Bethany]

"Liz no, Carver won't..." Okay, Carver can be just as stubborn as any of us and is twice as impulsive. "Be able to do it. Dad disagrees and he's a Light. Plus you're of age and Dad's ward, so even if Carver managed to convince someone you can't decide for yourself- which is bullshit- Dad would be the one that the choice goes to, not Carver. I work as Don and Dad's assistants, remember? I know the legal system pretty well by now."

[Marian Hawke]

Liz takes a deep breath, then another. Finally, in a tiny, frightened voice, she asks, "Promise?"

[Bethany]

"If Dad fails, I'll help you escape myself. Zevran and Isabela can help us flee," Bethany promises, face a little pale. She pauses, then, thinking. "Actually... would you feel better sleeping somewhere else tonight? We could bunk down at Don's place, he'd not mind in the slightest. Family is very important to him."

[Marian Hawke]

Liz hesitates, then nods, just a little. "I need... I  need to get back on track, and I don't... I feel shaky and unsettled, knowing the wards are keeping me here. I can't... I can't believe he'd... and it makes me paranoid about everything else."