He didn't want to think anymore… All he wanted was for it to be over, for her pain to stop, for everything to be all right again… Will it ever be over?

"This is our fate, I'm yours…" –I'm Yours, Jason Mraz

I swear, writing this story made it really difficult for me to breathe…

Unbelievably Real

Remus sat nervously on the couch, clenching and unclenching his fists. He had been waiting anxiously for two hours now— his breathing was shallow, and his mind couldn't think of anything but Dora… How is she? Will she make it safely? These questions, along with a million more that crowded Remus's head, wanted to burst out of him and explode. He wanted to be there with her, to help her out— but he couldn't. He couldn't stand seeing her face masked with so much pain, and all the more hear her desperate, piercing screams that echoed horribly throughout the whole house.

And then she screamed again, making Remus flinch involuntarily. He didn't want to know how much pain she was in, because his insides shook with fear, and his heart began to beat unusually faster whenever he did. He didn't want to think anymore… All he wanted was for it to be over, for her pain to stop, for everything to be all right again…

He decided that walking around the room would lessen his fear; he also thought that this would make time fly— which apparently, didn't seem to happen at the moment. So he paced around slowly, taking each step carefully with his arms across his chest. He felt terrible for he knew that this pain Dora was currently going through right now had been— partially— his fault. He sighed heavily and looked outside the window. The sun was nowhere to be found; droplets of rain slid down the window, the sky gray, cloudy and gloomy. He sighed again and buried his hands deep in his pockets instead as he continued to walk.

It seemed to work— soon his breathing was back to normal, and his mind had become numb. It seemed to stop working temporarily for his sake and to his relief, the only things that occupied his mind was remembering how to inhale and exhale. Remus felt like floating, his head in a dreamlike state. It was surreal, but he liked it like this— drifting away from all the things that worried him, even for just a few minutes.

Then from far away he thought he heard footsteps… he tried to ignore it but he distinctly heard it becoming louder and louder and—

"Remus," a breathless voice said. The door had swung open and it banged loudly against the wall, pulling Remus back into the real world. He jumped in surprise and quickly turned around to see who had called him.

"Is it over now, Arthur?" Remus immediately said. He held his breath this time, waiting.

Arthur grinned widely at him. "Yes! A boy, Remus—" he said, but he stopped when Remus had dashed out of the room past him.

As Remus ran, he felt a great surge of pride burned inside of him. The wind swept across his hair and the whole house seemed to be brighter. "Finally!" He screamed in his head as he skipped his way up the stairs and jumped on the landing. He strode faster, and despite his breathlessness he forced himself to continue walking until he reached their room.

The door was wide open when he reached the room at the end of the hall. His heart began palpitating again, but this time with so much anticipation and happiness. He was out of breath now, but he didn't care. He didn't seem so important right now compared to his wife and their child— they were the very persons he would die for in this world, no questions asked….

At last he saw inside the room: Quickly, his eyes gazed and settled only upon Dora, her body as still and as quiet as a statue. His eyebrows pulled together, and he frowned when he saw her looking so lifeless and pale, her hair a dull, brown color; he hadn't been expecting her to look so… so dead. He was deeply focused on her that he didn't notice the room become unusually clean and organized now.

"She's all right, Remus, don't worry," said Molly Weasley. And for the first time Remus noticed that she was actually there. She met Remus's eyes and her eyes began to water but smiled happily at him nevertheless.

"It's a boy, Remus," said a soothing, gentle voice. It was Dora's mother, Andromeda who spoke. He met her gaze and she too was smiling at him. She held a thick bundle of blankets, and she urged Remus to come near her. "He's handsome, you know," she said.

Remus was struck. He trotted his way to Andromeda, his eyes gleaming with tears as the same words repeated over and over in his head— "It's a boy…"

And at last, he finally saw him. His son… Remus couldn't help but laugh triumphantly when Andromeda finally handed him his child. He was a father now… the small bundle in his slender arms was living proof of that. He imagined the tiny infant in his arms a few years later, calling him 'Dad' and playing with him, and the mere thought of it warmed him, like the sun….

"Wow," he whispered, as he carefully shifted the small boy in his arms.

"Remus?" said Andromeda. Remus looked at her and saw her wiping her tears with a handkerchief. "Would you like some time alone with them?"

He smiled pleasantly at her. "Yes, please," he said. Averting his gaze from her, Remus moved towards Dora, who remained fast asleep on the bed. He stared fondly at her, when he heard the door close gently.

"Dora," he whispered sweetly in her ear. "It's a boy," he continued. "Our baby's a boy…" Remus stroked her hair with one hand and kissed her gently on the forehead. He looked back at his son, and his heart pumped excitedly again. He took in every part of his son's miniature features: his thick black hair, his small balled fists, his fat arms and legs…

Dora stirred and soon opened her heavy eyelids. She attempted to sit up but failed. "Remus?" she murmured. Her hair was slowly turning back to pink.

"Here he is!" exclaimed Remus as he helped Dora sit up, placing a pillow behind her. He shifted his arms so that the baby in his arms faced Dora. Despite looking tired and worn-out, she smiled serenely at their baby, and then at Remus.

"He's so small…" Dora murmured.

"Yeah, he is," said Remus. "D'you want to carry him?" asked Remus excitedly, gazing at Dora intently. She nodded, and so Remus carefully passed her the thick bundle of blankets where their child slept.

Dora's eyebrows pulled as the baby shifted and yawned hugely. "I— I thought…" she said.

"What is it?"

"Well… I thought he had brown hair like yours, I swore I glimpsed it," said Dora, gazing thoughtfully at their son's small face.

"You sure? Maybe it was a trick of the light, or you know, you were too exhausted that you actually thought that," said Remus. He settled himself beside Dora and cuddled her up, kissing her forehead.

"I guess so," agreed Dora. "But even if he didn't have your hair color, at least he has your face."

"My face?" said Remus, staring at his son again. "I'm not sure," he said. "His lips are shaped like yours, look." And he pointed at the boy's lips.

"Yeah, it does," said Dora blankly, rolling her eyes, looking stubborn. "His eyelids and his nose definitely look like yours, though," she said, her voice strong and sure.

"I'm having a feeling we're debating on how our son looks like…" whispered Remus. "Right?"

"We wouldn't if you'd just accept the fact that he's a perfect copy of yourself, Remus."

"I'd prefer the debate," he said.

"We don't need to debate on anything!" said Dora. "Why don't you want your own son— your own son, Remus! — to look like you?"

"Well, maybe because I'd rather he'd look like you! You're a much better sight than I am, just to remind you, Dora…"

"This is about your 'problem' again, is it?" Dora insisted, sounding a little irritated. "I don't care, Remus, and I won't bother trying to make myself look better for others!" She inhaled sharply and looked Remus straight in the eyes. "I think you should think that way too," she added sadly. Feeling greatly offended, Dora gazed at their son instead, avoiding Remus's stare on purpose. They were both silent now, and the only sounds came from the drops of rain falling heavily and noisily on the rooftop. It felt awkward not talking to each other, and so Remus decided to break the deafening silence.

"This is ridiculous," he said. "This shallow argument, it's ridiculous... I'm sorry, okay?"

Dora nodded. "Will you forgive me for being so pushy?" she said. She glanced up at him and smiled. He smiled back and hugged her again as she leaned against him.

"But seriously, he looks like you, Remus…" Dora murmured in a hushed voice, but Remus heard him and he chuckled.

"Whatever you say, Dora," he said. "He'll look like me for now, but I'm not saying this debate is over." It had worked and made Dora laugh loudly, gripping with one arm at Remus's shirt as she shook with laughter. Remus joined in laughing momentarily, before they both silenced themselves when the tiny boy stirred— apparently disturbed— but continued to slumber.

Remus leaned against Dora, resting his cheek on her hair and closing his droopy eyes. "I'm glad you made it," he said. "Your screaming was driving me crazy downstairs."

"Remus—!" exclaimed Dora suddenly and shaking him as though she knew that he was trying to drift of to sleep.

"What?" he said warily, sitting up and looking at Dora with his face twisted into anxiousness.

"I suddenly remembered—" said Dora, lowering her voice when the baby stirred again, "he doesn't have a name yet…."

"Oh," said Remus, sighing in relief.

Dora sat up straighter. "Dad would have loved to see him," she started, and she was swaying the baby slowly in her arms. "So maybe…" she mumbled. The rest of her words were inaudible as she had whispered them. Remus leaned against the bedpost and closed his eyes again.

"We'll name him after dad, is that okay?" said Dora. "And you, Remus."

Remus straightened up and stiffened. He could not believe what he just heard. "Me?"

"It's traditional isn't it? Well, in the Wizarding world, it is," she said in a sure, proud tone. Remus gaped at her, his eyes wide. His heart leapt with joy inside of him, and he felt years younger, like he wasn't even a werewolf. He was feeling what his best friend James had once felt when Harry had been born and named after him and this made Remus happier.

"It's perfect," said Dora, and Remus jerked back to his senses. "Ted Remus Lupin," she recited, her voice soft and gentle; Remus had actually succumbed into believing that it made perfect sense for his son to be named after him, because of the way she had said it.

"Little Teddy," said Dora, and she bent down to plant a kiss on Teddy's forehead. "Your mum and dad love you," she said.

"We do," joined Remus. "And we'll never do anything to hurt you." Dora smiled at him again and pulled him down to kiss him. Remus returned the enthusiasm and as he kissed her back, the two of them felt like the two happiest parents in the world, with their son in between them, sleeping soundly.

END

Finally, it's done… I could hardly breathe while writing this one… Please leave a review if you think that you deserve to be cuddled up by Remus like he did to Dora…