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The stars twinkled brightly that night. The front door slowly opened. Tonks turned on her bed, tired and unaware of what was happening downstairs. It wasn't until she heard footsteps coming up the stairs that she quickly sat up. Tonks froze. She couldn't move as fast as she could for she was now many months pregnant with her unborn child. Her heart pounded and fear rose inside her. Not my baby she thought, though if this intruder took her life surely he would be taking the baby's as well.
Tonks tried to move as fast as she could. She reached for her wand. Her legs felt numb and her body felt heavy, but she knew she had to protect herself. This is war and no one would take mercy on her even if she is a pregnant woman. Remus hadn't come home for a long time. No one would be around to fight by her side tonight. She walked to the door and closed it slowly. She could hear the footsteps nearing her room now. With her mother away, there was no one to help her. She fought back tears as she pointed the one at the door. Memories flashed before her.
"Remus, I have something to tell you." Tonks walked up to her husband who looked pale and tired. She gave hmi a kiss. "I bet you'll like what I am about to tell you." Remus looked at her. Tonks touched her stomach softly. "We're going to have a baby."
"A what?" Remus spun around so wildly that even Tonks was taken aback. "Dora, are you serious?" Tonks slowly nodded. She couldn't tell whether Remus was as happy as her or not. "Dora…I…" He took a deep breath and hugged Tonks. It was the last time he did.
The doorknob slowly turned. Tonks's chest pounded. Tears came down her eyes now. She could no longer hold them back as she thought of what would happen next. She felt so much fear not for herself but for the life that was living in her as of the moment. If it could be that she die tonight and let the fetus live, then let that be done.
Thunder roared. It surprised Tonks into a scream. She fell back and shut her eyes. She had made a sound. It would be over soon, her life and the life of the baby she had inside her. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. All she wanted was for the baby to be born so that she and Remus could go on with having their dreams of having a family.
"Shh, it's okay. It's me, Dora." Tonks couldn't believe her ears. It was the voice that she longed to hear most. Tonks slowly open her eyes and saw Remus who rushed to her and gave her a hug. Tonks cried on his shoulder as she hugged him back. "It's okay, Dora. I'm home. I'm here." Remus pressed his lips at Tonks's forehead and gave her a light kiss. "Shhh, it's all right."
Tonks looked up. "I-I thought y-you were n-never coming b-back," she sobbed. She shivered as Remus held her closer to him. Tonks buried her face on Remus's chest. "I was so scared. I was afraid you were never going to come back I was scared, I-"
Remus held a finger to her lips. "It took someone brave enough to point out the mistake I almost made," he whispered. The rain started to fall hard. Remus helped Tonks to stand up. "Come on. It's bad for you to be out of bed." He slowly walked with her back to the bed and helped her lie down. Remus picked up Tonks's wand and placed handed it to her. Tonks smiled at him. Remus took ff his shirt and lay beside Tonks. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Tonks nodded. "It's okay. You're here now." She placed a hand on Remus's chest. Remus took it and kissed it. Tonks moved closer to him. "I love you," she whispered. Remus looked at her. With his free hand, he ran his fingers through her purple hair. "I'm glad you came back for me," said Tonks. She looked deep into Remus's loving eyes.
Remus let Tonks lay her head on his chest. Tonks fell asleep while Remus caressed her face. She looked very peaceful as she slept. Remus had never seen Tonks look so afraid before. He felt guilty for causing that frightened look. His eyes fell on Tonks's stomach. Their unborn child; will it be like him? He prayed hard that the child will not have the same fate as he does.
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Remus rushed to the master's bedroom with a glass of water. "Push!" He set it on the bedside table and took hold of Tonks's hand. They couldn't bring her to St. Mungo's. A lot will be on the line if they did. Andromeda looked at Tonks. "Give me one more push, Dora," she said.
Remus couldn't bear see the pain that Tonks was feeling at the moment. He looked away but held her hand tightly. Tonks screamed like she never did before and grasped Remus's hand so tight that it made him yelp. He didn't know that Tonks could be this strong. He looked back at his wife for a moment. Her pained face showed evidently as she tried her hardest to bring the baby into the world.
Finally, Remus could hear a baby's cry. "It's a boy," whispered Andromeda. She wrapped the baby with clean cloth and handed him to the new proud parents. Tonks, still panting, held her baby in her arms, though quite uncertainly for she feared that she might drop him. Andromeda smiled at the family. "I'll leave you three for a while now," she said softly and left the room.
Remus shakily reached for the glass of water and gave it to Tonks. Tonks took a sip. She smiled at the baby, her hands still trembling from the experience of childbirth. Remus softly touched the baby's little hand. He looked so tiny and fragile, a very precious son of Remus and Nymphadora Lupin.
"What should we name him?" asked Tonks. She had finally calmed down a bit. Remus looked at the baby and touched his cheeks. Tonks smiled at their son. "He's so small. He's so light." She cradled the newborn child. "If it is all right with you, can we name him after my father?" she asked. Remus gazed at his wife, nodded, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Tonks looked at him. "Ted Remus Lupin," she whispered.
Remus nodded once more. "Teddy Lupin," he whispered. Tonks handed him their son. Remus felt the light child in his hands. Remus saw little strands of hair sprouting. A sign of a new werewolf? His heart started to beat fast. He looked fearfully at his wife. "Dora, he might be…" his voice faded as his heart sank. His son, a werewolf.
"Don't worry," Tonks assured him. "Watch." Remus looked at the baby. Tonks touched Remus's face lightly. "Calm down. Just look at him." Slowly, little Teddy's hair became orange. Tonks smiled at Remus. "Mum said that when I was born I sprouted hair quickly and it changed color right at that moment," she said softly.
Remus let out a sigh of relief. He cuddled his son. "I don't want him to go through the pain I go through," he said. The baby began to fall asleep. Remus smiled and sat on the bed. He handed the baby back to Tonks. Tonks rocked the little baby to sleep. Remus looked at Tonks and smiled. "I'll do anything to keep you and little Teddy safe," he whispered.
Teddy's little strands of her turned red.
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"How is he holding up?" Remus bent over the crib and looked at Teddy. He looked pale. Remus looked mighty worried when he saw his son. He looked at Tonks who looked as concerned as he did. Remus touched Teddy's face. It was very hot. Remus looked at Tonks. "He's having a fever. Have you given him a tonic?" he asked.
Tonks looked unsure. "He's too young to have on. He's barely a month old, Remus." Remus looked back at their son. He could feel panic rising. Tonks carried the baby boy in her arms. He started to cry. Tonks tried not to let herself have an emotional breakdown. "Don't cry, Teddy. Please stop crying," she whispered as she rocked the child.
Frustrated, Remus ran his fingers through his hair and thought of every possible way of making his son well again. He looked at Tonks. Apparently, she didn't know what to do with him either. Remus breathed heavily as he wracked his brain for a remedy. He looked at his son who was now crying Remus knew that the baby wasn't feeling comfortable and it would get worse once nothing is done. Remus feared losing his son.
"You stay here," hissed Remus. He gave Tonks a quick kiss. Tonks grabbed onto Remus's robes. Remus looked at her calmly. "No, I'm not going to leave you. I'll try to get someone who knows the remedy for a newborn," he said.
Tonks watched as Remus disappeared from the room. She tried to soothe the baby boy but he kept on crying. She wished the war was over. She could not bear to see her son suffer more because of the inconvenience of the war. She knew that she would never forgive herself if Teddy would die before he gets to hold life in his hands as she knows it. She kissed the baby and rocked him.
Suddenly, the door burst open. One of Remus's acquaintances who used to be a Healer at St. Mungo's came in. He took one look at Teddy and smiled. "He's not really having a fever," he said calmly. He took the baby from Tonks's arms. Remus and Tonks watched carefully. The man let the baby lean over his shoulder as he patted Teddy's back.
Burp
The man smiled at the obviously new parents. "You two have got a lot to learn," he said with a smile.
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Remus set the camera upright. Tonks took the teddy bear and held it up to Teddy. "Smile for Daddy," said Remus as he focused the camera at Teddy. Teddy looked up. Remus clicked the camera, capturing his smile perfectly. Remus scooped up Teddy and gave him a kiss. "That's my boy," he said and hugged the boy close to him.
Tonks looked at Teddy who yawned. "He's sleepy now. We must get him to bed." Tonks took Teddy from Remus and carried him to his crib. As he lay the baby down, she turned, catching Remus who was about to leave the room. "I thought you weren't going for the Order tonight," she said.
Remus looked at her thoughtfully. "I can't always be here, Dora. I want to, but I can't," he said. He read Tonks's sad eyes. He couldn't help but feel guilty as he looked at them. Tonks had always wanted to be at his side but Teddy kept her. Remus wanted to keep his family safe in Andromeda's house. He didn't want any harm to come to them. He would never forgive himself if he did. Remus walked over to Tonks. He took hold of her hand. "I'll be back tomorrow."
"What if there's no more tomorrow?" Tonks asked worriedly. Remus knew what she was thinking, but it was unavoidable. As of the moment, death is sure to be rampant. Remus gave Tonks a tight hug. Tonks returned it and leaned on Remus. "Please be safe," she whispered.
Remus gave her a peck on the forehead. "I'll try." He smiled at Tonks and caressed her face. "Now matter what happens, I will always be with you and Teddy." He closed his eyes and pressed his lips on Tonks's for a passionate kiss. Remus slowly broke it off after a few replies from Tonks. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," Tonks whispered as Remus went away.
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"We're at war!" Tonks said exasperatedly. Remus turned his back on her. Tonks sat on the bed. "What if one day you go out there and then you never come back? Remus…" Tonks's voice faded. Remus sensed her fear of losing him. He could not blame her. He felt the same fear for her and Teddy, but there wasn't anything he could do. War is waging.
Teddy moved. Tonks walked over to his crib. Remus could hear her sobbing as she took Teddy out from the crib. "Dora…" He couldn't find comforting words to say to her now. Remus moved quickly. He walked over to Tonks and pulled her along with their son close to him. "There is nothing I would like more than a world we could live peacefully in as a family. I don't want our son to be caught up in dark days like we are now."
Tonks looked at Remus thoughtfully. "I know." Her tear-strained face pained Remus very much. He did not want her to feel so much sadness and insecurity. Tonks leaned on Remus as she held their son. "I want Teddy to live in a good place too where he can run around and not worry about anything."
Remus stroked Tonks's hair. "We're going t make that world for him." He placed his hand on Teddy's head. "Teddy, I love you very much. I wish you could understand what I'm saying," he whispered as he rubbed his forehead with his finger. Teddy moved a bit, but he seemed too tired to do anything more. Remus smiled. "We're going to make it through the war, Dora, with Teddy," he said.
Tonks nodded as she put her faith in Remus's words. "I know we are." She placed Teddy back into his crib. "I asked Mum to come. She'll take care of Teddy," she said quietly as she tucked her wand into her robe's pocket.
"Where are you going?" asked Remus.
"With you," replied Tonks.
Remus vigorously shook his head. "Oh no you're not," he said. "You're staying here with Teddy. The battle is ongoing and I don't want you having to go there." He looked at his son uncertainly. "Teddy needs at least one of us to survive. Please, Dora."
"Are you saying you're not planning to come home when you battle?" Tonks asked. Remus didn't answer. "So you're planning to go to war and die there and lave Teddy and me." Remus looked at her. No amount of explaining would get through to Tonks at the moment, knowing her. "Remus, I won't let you," she said curtly.
"And I won't let you get hurt," countered Remus. He took hold of Tonks's arms and pulled her closed to him. "I love you and Teddy too much to see you get hurt. Please, Dora. Please understand me. I'll always be with you and Teddy. I'll never leave the both of you. I'll always love you and keep you in my thoughts. Please, Dora. Stay with Teddy so you can tell him all that I've said."
Tonks looked at Remus. Remus slowly let go of her. He turned and went through the door without another word. A tear came down from Tonks's eye.
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"I'm off." Tonks gave her son a kiss. "I love you, Teddy." Andromeda grabbed her daughter's arm. She had already lost her husband and she did not want to lose her daughter. Tonks looked at her thoughtfully. "I'll come back after the battle, Mum."
Andromeda's hand shook as she held on to Tonks. "What about your son? Remus is already off fighting for this. Don't let Teddy suffer. What if you lose you life there and so does Remus? What will become of your son? Don't you care about him?" she asked as she searched Tonks's eyes for some comfort that her daughter might come to her senses and stay behind.
Tonks shook her head. "I do, Mum, that's why I'm going to fight. I don't want Teddy to live in a place like this." Tonks slowly embraced her mother. "I'll be back tonight after the battle and we'll celebrate the victory. Wait for me by the door, Mum. You'll see. Remus and I would come through that door announcing that Voldemort's gone." She gave her mother an assuring smile.
Tonks went out of the door. Andromeda had a feeling she would never come back in anymore. As the door closed, Teddy threw his hands up in the air and cried.
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