This turned out to much more angsty then I had intended… oops! Many thanks to Krissy and JenniseiBlack for looking this over. I don't own either of these characters (unfortunately!) and am making no money from this.

I'll Always Come Back to You

Tonks sat in her plush, purple armchair, her hands resting on her largely pregnant stomach. The fire had begun to die down but she could not bring herself to tend to it. Glancing around the room, her eyes landed on her cup of tea that had long gone cold. It was Christmas Eve and she was all alone.

Her body felt numb. She was as cold as her tea, shivering in the front room of her and Remus's home.

Remus.

Her heart clenched painfully.

Her husband should have been home hours ago. The mission he had taken from the Order was not a difficult one. Quick and easy, love. That's what he had told her. Tonks shook her head. From the amount of time he had been gone, Remus had either lied or something had gone seriously wrong.

Tonks had a feeling it was the latter.

A few tears escaped her eyes. She sniffled, not quite sure what she should do at the moment. She was cold, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The depression sank deep into her bones along with the cold.

She felt her son move within her, but still she felt no joy.

War was a harsh thing. So very often, it tore families apart. Would her small family be lost in this sea of raging hatred? Would she lose Remus, the only person she could truly be herself around? Would she lose her mother? Her unborn child?

Sobs racked her body.

Tonks was at a loss, which was not something she experienced quite often. Without Remus in her life, she desperately feared that she would fall apart.

The front door opened and Tonks stood as quickly as she could, drawing her wand. She pointed it at the entryway and held her breath.

Remus appeared, a tired and forlorn expression on his face. "Tonks? What are you doing up still?"

She collapsed to the floor, relief and sadness spreading throughout her. Remus quickly rushed towards her and pulled her into his arms.

"Tonks? Love, what is it?" he asked, brushing her mousy hair from her face.

"I was afraid you weren't coming back," she responded, sniffling. "I thought something happened when you didn't return home hours ago."

Remus frowned, looking at her. Tonks was never like this with him. She was always so strong and level-headed. But apparently the stress of war got to everyone.

"Tonks, don't cry," he comforted her. "I'm here, all right? Safe and sound." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"I just imagined life without you, Remus, and I just couldn't," Tonks said, still crying as she looked at her husband. "I can't imagine raising our son without you."

"You won't have to," Remus promised her. "I love you, Tonks, and I'm never going to leave you. We'll get through this war, all right? You, me, and our son."

"Do you promise?" Tonks asked, looking him straight in the eye. "Do you promise that you'll never leave?"

"Never," he answered firmly. "I'll love you for an eternity, Nymphadora Tonks."

"Even longer than that," Tonks replied. She reached up and wiped her face dry. "I'm sorry, Remus. I don't know what got into me. I'm not usually like this."

"I know," Remus said, helping her to her feet. "I'm sure the stress of the war and the pregnancy is beginning to wear you down. I understand."

She smiled tentatively at him.

Remus returned her smile and looked around the room. "Tonks, your tea has gone cold."

"It did," she replied. "But I don't want it any longer. Let's just go to bed, all right?"

"All right," Remus said. As the two of them walked up the stairs to their bedroom, Remus silently vowed that he would never let anything happen to Tonks. He would stay by her side for the rest of his days. Nothing but death would ever tear them apart, and even then, he'd love her in the afterlife.

Neither of them knew how close that really was.