Note: This story is AU following the storyline of Late nights, Quidditch & Supper but takes place farther in the future after the war.Remus and Tonks never married due to him being awarewolf and now have two children. Charlie Weasley was her first love.I am just playing around with the characters here.Please review!

Disclaimer:All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

Remus Lupin was not a man given to fits or anger. He tended to be calm and polite towards everyone except when showing his love and affection for his family. The past two weeks had thrown him for a loop however and he spent his time withdrawn and brooding. His partner constantly begged him to tell her what was wrong but he refused to answer. He only seemed to snap out of his lethargy and melancholy whenever one of his children was around. Then he would smile sadly and clasp them to him until they protested at his affection. He was distant and slightly cool towards his partner but mostly acted distracted. He had a huge problem on his hands and he was pondering the best course of action to take.

Late one night a week later as he and Tonks were preparing for bed he decided to tell her his news. He noticed that lately they went to bed separately and slept on opposite sides of the bed. They never met up during the day and he couldn't remember the last time they had shared more than a perfunctory kiss and reflexive I love you. He also thought of how often she was absent for so called work related causes.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," he announced.

"Where are you going?" she asked in surprise. She climbed into bed and watched him as he came to sit on his side of the bed and faced her.

"I've rented a flat off Diagon Alley," he said quietly. She gazed at him with a puzzled expression on her face. He cleared his throat and jumped in with an explanation.

"I had some visitors a few weeks ago, Tonks. Ginny and Hermione came to visit me. It seems that they had found out something that they thought it was important I know about." He stopped here to look at her and was dismayed to see her slowly dawning look of recognition and horror.

"They told me about you and Charlie," he continued slowly. "I knew some of it but I was not aware of how long it's been going on or to what extent it had preceded." She made to interrupt him but he forcefully interjected.

"Nymphadora, I am old but I am not stupid. I know that you still love him and I know that things have not been right between us for sometime. I thought that we were happy but even I in my blindness can see now how far apart we've drifted. I only blame myself for becoming complacent and not seeing things more clearly. I only hope that whatever is between us will not get in the way of our children. I hope that you will not keep me from them," he finished calmly.

He had had a few weeks to make his peace with the news and make his plans. Even though it was killing him inside, he was not going to prevent her from her happiness; he simply loved her to much to do that. She looked at him in disbelief and then began to cry.

"Remus…" she said at an utter loss for words.

"It's ok," he said smiling his old, tired smile. It was one she hadn't seen since the War ended ten years ago and it made him look very old.

"I have been thinking about this for awhile and I think this is the best solution available. I only want you to be happy and I am sorry that I could not make you so. I will leave in the morning with only my own personal possessions. I will leave everything else to you but I am hopeful that you will let me see the children frequently. They are old enough to understand."

"I-I don't know what to say. I can't deny any of it yet I don't want it to end with us either," she sobbed out.

"Why?" he asked with bated breath looking at her sharply.

"The children will be so upset and they won't understand, Remus. They will think it is their fault. Please, don't go! We can work it out. I am happy with you and our life together."

He took a huge breath to steady himself and then slowly exhaled in a sigh. "No," he said tiredly rubbing his eyes, he could feel a migraine coming on, "We are merely complacent. I would hardly think that if you were happy you would need to find comfort in someone else's bed for two years. I am tired and I am old and it seems my life is a lie. But even an old wolf has his pride Nymphadora and I can't stay."

He looked with alarm at her as she cried so hard he wondered if she could breathe. He started to reach out to her to comfort her as he had always done but the thought of Charlie Weasley's hands on her stopped him. He stood up.

"I'll sleep in the other room tonight," he said moving towards the door. As he closed it behind him the last thing he saw was her collapse on the bed in her grief.