I've always wondered what would have happened after Remus and Tonks found out about the final battle, so I thought of this, and I nearly cried while writing parts of it.

Something similar was originally supposed to be posted as part of another story I was writing with my friend, but that story kind of got abandoned, so I'm posting it now. Let me know what you think! Reviews are welcome!

Remus had just returned home from a Potterwatch meeting and was thankful for the time to unwind. He sat on the couch with his tiny son wrapped in his arms.

"He's been waiting for you, I think," Tonks said as she sat down next to him with a cup of tea in her hand. "I've been trying to get him to sleep all day, and he'll only relax when you're home."

Remus chuckled quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping baby. Just then, a Patronus bounded through the window and sat in front of the little family. "Trouble at Hogwarts," McGonagall's voice told them. "Harry's here. Come quickly." With that, it disappeared.

Remus instantly rose from his seat on the couch and handed the baby to his wife. He headed straight for the door, grabbing his wand and traveling cloak on his way out. Tonks put the baby in the nearby bassinet and began following her husband to the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Remus asked as he pulled on his cloak.

"With you," Tonks replied as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"You can't," Remus protested. "If Harry's at Hogwarts, there has to be a reason," he explained. "You-Know-Who probably knows and will be there, and who knows what will happen then."

"I'm coming, Remus," Tonks argued sternly.

"You've just had a child," Remus reminded her, "You can't just—"

"I'm an Auror," Tonks interrupted, "I'm trained to handle situations like these. I can do this," she said stubbornly. Just then, the baby, disturbed by his parents' raised voices, began to whine and cry from the bassinet. Tonks went over and began cradling the infant in her arms in an attempt to quiet him.

"I know you can handle it," Remus returned urgently, "but, Dora, we have a son now. You have to think of him."

"I am thinking of him." Tonks retorted. "I want to give him a better life than this. I don't want him to have to live in fear like we are now, and I can't do that just by sitting here!"

Remus sighed and took a few steps closer to Tonks. His voice took on a morbid tone as he spoke. "No one knows what could happen tonight," he started thickly. He paused for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. He shook his head as though he was trying to clear it of some horrible thought before he went on, "If something were happen to me…" he trailed off, obviously struggling with what he was trying to say. He took a deep breath and continued, "Teddy needs at least one parent. He needs his mother."

Tonks looked into her husband's face and saw that he was fighting back tears. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her other arm still holding the now calm baby. "He needs his father too, Remus," she said quietly. "Please don't go alone. You said that you wouldn't leave us again." Silent tears were now falling down her cheeks as she looked into Remus' face.

Remus pulled her into a hug. "You have to stay here," he begged. "I wouldn't be able to survive if I lost you," he added softly as he brushed away a tear from her cheek. "I'll be back before you know it," he said lightly.

"Promise?" Tonks pleaded in little more than a whisper, not breaking eye contact with her husband.

"I told you that I would never leave you again, and I promise you that I won't." He offered her a smile, which she returned weakly. He then scooped his son into his arms and held him close. "Now, you be good for your mother. I'll be back soon, so I'll hear all about the trouble you've caused," he scolded jokingly.

Tonks gave a feeble laugh. Remus kissed the baby on the forehead and placed him back in the bassinet. He then approached his wife and they threw their arms around each other in a tight embrace.

"Please be careful," Tonks told him quietly as her tears seeped into his cloak.

"I will," he assured her before giving her one last kiss. He reluctantly turned away from her and headed out the door. Tonks could hear the faintest pop of his Disapparition as she picked up her son and Flooed to her mother's.

-oOoOoO-

Tonks sat in her mother's kitchen, glancing worriedly at the cuckoo clock on the wall every few minutes. It had been about an hour since Remus had left, and Tonks had been waiting nearly on the edge of her seat for any news from the battle.

As the little cuckoo bird announced that it was now midnight, Andromeda Tonks entered the room with little Teddy in her arms.

"Have you heard anything?" she asked solemnly. Tonks shook her head.

"I should be there, Mum," Tonks said quietly. "I know that Remus said I needed to stay here, but it doesn't feel right."

Teddy began to squirm in his grandmother's arms, so Tonks rose from her chair and took him from her mother. As she rocked her son, he immediately quieted.

Despite the fact that the baby relaxed, Tonks' movements were almost robotic, like she wasn't really present in what she was doing, and her eyes were distant as though she was raging some great war in her mind.

"I dunno what to do," she confessed to her mother, who was still standing in the doorway. "I know that Teddy needs me here, but I can't stand not knowing what's happening at Hogwarts." Tonks continued pacing around the room, still rocking her son.

"Go," Andromeda called from the entry.

Tonks turned to her mother, a dazed expression on her face. "My biggest regret was that I didn't go with your father while he was on the run. You need to be with Remus now," she explained. "I'll watch Teddy for you until you get back."

Within a second, Tonks' arm was thrust around her mother's neck. "Thank you, Mum," she said quietly. When she released her mother, Tonks looked at the child in her arms. She held him as close as she possibly could and spoke softly, "I love you so much. I'll be back as soon as I can." She hugged him and placed a light kiss on his forehead before handing the baby to her mother.

Andromeda wrapped an arm around her daughter. "Be careful," she warned quietly as her eyes welled with tears. She couldn't tell why, but this felt like more than just another good-bye. It was too reminiscent of the last time she had seen Ted. She pulled her daughter closer as a tear leaked from her eye.

"Now go," Andromeda shooed when she finally released Tonks. Tonks nodded and headed for the door. With the faintest pop, Andromeda knew that her daughter had arrived in Hogsmeade.

So there it is! Let me know what you thought in a Review! Thanks for reading!