Summary: Cullen as a widower single dad- post trespasser.
For a woman as formidable as his wife was, she was not immortal in the end. She had made plans. She had saved the world a second time and would continue saving it as many times as it needed after that, because that is who she was. But no one can predict the future, and now hers was gone.
The Inquisition was no more and Skyhold no longer a welcoming sight without the light of it's leader to shine from it. He stood, watching the sunset over the mountains for the last time, holding their sleeping child in his arms, swearing to himself to never let her go. Her life would be uprooted in every way now, but what cut him deepest was the knowledge that this little girl would not remember her mother. He had no memories of being 2 years old, how could he dream to hope she might? He vowed to himself then, that she would never have a moments doubt about how much she is loved.
He knew every member of the inner circle had been genuine in their intentions to help and in their shared grief over his loss, but he was ultimately alone in the end. They had stayed as long as they could, they had done more than he had thought possible, but it was not their place anymore and he could not keep them from their lives any longer. They would visit, he knew he would never be able to keep them away, but it wouldn’t be the same without Her to bring them together.
He had never imagined himself as a father, giving up that life seemed an insignificant thought to a 13 year old heading off to begin his training; and now, suddenly, it was his reality. Cullen had never feared failure as much as he did in this moment. His tears streamed anew as he pressed the chubby palm to his lips, inhaling the scents of sunshine and grass on her skin. This precious child needed him to be strong. He would scour his soul to find the courage. He would be the person his love had believed him to be, the person she had made him.
He would go to the village of his childhood he supposed. He would begin again as they had imagined they would do together one day when this was all over. There he would raise their daughter, the sunny haired girl who wore her mother’s smile and reminded him everyday what their sacrifices had been for.
