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[ There may or may not be holes in the wall behind her, but considering her complete outrage at Wonderland, she's calmed down significantly. ]

Andrea left.

[ That's it, end of transmission. And even though she didn't get to introduce her to every single person, Michonne talked about her enough. The people close to her know. ]

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_{[One word:]}

Yeesh.

_{[That about covers the extent of Michonne's atrocious luck, he thinks. But as a bonus for Michonne being a long-time customer of Anders' company, he offers more words, mouth twisting in a grimace.]}

Sorry to hear that. She was the... girlfriend?

Yeah.

The one who's dead back home.

[ Well, no need to sugar coat why Michonne's so angry. ]

_{[That yeesh is the understatement of the year. He's a little surprised there aren't more holes in the wall behind her.]}

How long has it been? You think there's a chance she could be back?

_{[If a dead woman found her way here once, she could again. Stranger things have happened. But holding out hope may not offer much comfort depending on how long it's been since Michonne's companion went missing; they both know the now-you-see-them-now-you-don't games Wonderland likes to play with memories.]}

Over a week. Had my hopes up until that time frame passed. But hey, maybe another two years goes by for me here and she shows up again.

[ Sorry, she's pissed. This just keeps happening, with frequency, and she's sick of it. ]

That's the way it went with Rick. Here, gone, and surprise - back again. Two years later.

_{[Over a week. Well, there goes the idea she might have stepped out for an afternoon in what passes for a casual jaunt in this place.

He knows what waiting years in the vain hope of seeing someone you love again is like. A glimpse, a letter, anything, just a snippet of news to know they're alive, that the heartache and the gnawing loss wasn't all for nothing. There's a finality to this that there hadn't been with Karl, though. Michonne lives in a timeline where her companion is dead, no takebacks.

She probably already heard everything he could say a thousand times before--that at least she'd had the time with her that she did, that there's always a chance she could be back--but instead of saying any of that he just sighs.]}

Wonderland has an awful sense of humor.

_{[Sorry you're back here again, Michonne.]}

[ She can't help but snort at that which is a very undignified sound. ]

Yeah, well. Be pissed today, live another day tomorrow. That's the way it goes.

[ As angry as she is, too many people here know the pain for her to be comfortable with sinking into it for long. She'll give herself the time to be pissed and even quietly stew for a few days, but after today, she's less likely to be outwardly angry. ]

_{[Yes, that's the way it goes. A sad state of affairs, but that's life for you. Curve balls and tragedies and an uphill climb every step of the way.

At least that's how it is in Anders' experience. Granted, his overall experience had ranged from 'awful' to 'moderately awful' before the Wardens.]}

It would be nice if it was easier to say goodbye a second time, but I don't suppose that it does. How long was she here? It's a shame I never made her acquaintance in person.

Not long enough.

[ It never would be. Even if Andrea stayed with her in Wonderland for ten years, it'd never be long enough. ]

And the thing of it is, there's nothing even for her to go back to. She's already dead.

_{[Anders' features soften by a few degrees. The expression that flattens the line of his lips isn't quite pity--pity won't help fix what's broken--but there's compassion on display there. He considers Michonne a friend--and he hates that she has to be in this position.]}

Giving life and then taking it away like a carrot on a stick is at the top of the list of why this place's priorities are rotten. If I can do anything for you, you'll let me know? A balm for scraped knuckles, perhaps?

_{[The wall looks like it might've hit back a couple of times.]}

[ That pain from punching holes is the only thing she can actually control, so she smiles to acknowledge the offer, then takes a deep breath and lets it out. ]

I'll let you know. Right now I'm as good as I can be. I think.

_{[He'll leave her with her bruised knuckles, but just so she knows, if there are broken bones he's coming over with a healing spell and a cat in need of petting so she has something else to do with her hands.]}

I'll be around if you need me.

_{[And not just today. Anytime.]}

There's something to be said for being crammed in a small space together: you don't have to go through this alone.

_{[When Karl had left the Circle, nothing had helped; Anders had been too deep in the grief and the anger to want consolation. But having other mages around him who knew what he was suffering had helped in a small way--and to their credit, some of them had even tried to reach him. Whatever Michonne might need, he's willing to try and be that person for her.]}

[ She closes her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and nodding before looking at him again. ]

You know that goes for you, too. You've been here for me more than once, so if you ever need anything, I'm a pretty good listener, too.

[ She just wants him to know - he can count on her, too. ]

_{[Anders lifts his hands and makes a flippant scoffing sound like he hasn't the slightest idea what she could be talking about.]}

Pfft, don't be silly, nothing bad ever happens to me.

_{[Wow, that was a hard one to sell, even for him. Getting the words out with a straight face makes him feel a little dirty and simultaneously want to laugh until he has to cut the conversation short on account of guffawing too hard to breathe. But in all seriousness...]}

Thanks for the offer. Two-way streets and all. I think we're only a few heart-to-hearts away from sleepover status.

_{[With Alistair gone, there's a job opening for sleepover buddy.]}

You know you saying that out loud was about the stupidest dare you could ever give to the mansion with eyes and ears everywhere, right?

[ Michonne arches her eyebrow, but elbows him affectionately. ]

You wanna have a pajama party, let me know. I'm into it.

[ Dead serious, Anders. ]

I laugh in the face of danger. Do your worst, Wonderland, I double doggy dare you. And we Fereldans take our dog dares seriously. What are friends for if not to take the heat off you every once in a while?

_{[A Circle with eyes and ears belonging to templars has well-prepared him for a life of mouthing off within earshot of powerful people.

... It's also very, very apparent he's just messing with her. If it helps distract her from her thoughts, mission successful. He smile at the thought of Michonne in some ridiculous Orlesian sleepwear. Pastel pink pajamas with ribbons on the sleeves, maybe. Or white frills to set off the color of her katana?]}

With talk like that, no wonder people keep banging down your door for a piece of you.

Uh, dear Wonderland, this is not co-signed by me.

[ She laughs at the end of that statement, so yeah, it's working, Anders. ]

And please, no one's banging down any doors.

[ But also, please try to get her into frilly pajamas. ]

More for me, then.

_{[Wonderland could try taking away his loved ones, but he doesn't have any here to take.

... But that's not completely true, is it? It's less and less true every day. He has friends these days. People he shares stories of home with, people he laughs with, people he'd fight for.]}

I might be sometime with a bed roll and a bowl of popcorn. Celebrity crushes will be shared, hair will be braided. We'll make a night of it.

We'll set it up, sometime in the new year. A co-ed, adult sleepover where pajamas are a requirement.

[ It's ridiculous, but what a damn thing to look forward to! ]

First things first--what if I sleep in the nude?

_{[Important questions.]}

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