"Why are you doing this to me?" she sighed.
Remus looked up from the tea he was pouring, heart thumping as he watched Tonks fiddle first with the frayed hem of her skirt, and then the rip in her dark stripped leggings.
"Doing what?"
She looked up, eyes narrowed. "You know perfectly well what." Stupid, insensitive werewolf that she couldn't help but love…
Remus squared his jaw. "I don't know what you're talking about. Can't I invite a friend over for a cup of tea anymore? You didn't have to come, you know…"
"Friend." Tonks repeated the word numbly.
"Friend." Remus said firmly.
"You think- you think I can be friends with you after all this? You think I can just sit back and have a laugh after you-" she stopped, turning away from him. She didn't want to argue with him again, no matter how much she was hurting. The heated arguments just opened the hole in her heart even further.
"After I what?" Remus stared incredulously. What had he done to annoy her now? He couldn't do anything right with her anymore. All they'd done since he had broken up with her was argue, and argue some more, and she often ended up stalking out in tears, or on the verge of them. Didn't she see what he was saving her from? But despite all that, he couldn't shut her out of his life completely. He couldn't just leave her all alone.
"After you broke my heart!" Tonks replied angrily. "I can't even look at you without hurting, and you want to be all matey and have a cup of tea? You think ill just drop the subject of WHY you broke up with me, with all those idiotic excuses? Cause you have another thing coming if you do!" she was standing now, and the tea lay abandoned on the table, completely forgotten.
"YOU didn't have to come over if you didn't want to!" Remus said, his voice rising, and he crossed his arms. This wasn't his fault. Why did she always have to bring it up? His excuses were perfectly legitimate.
"Well maybe you should have taken the hint from all the arguments we've had, and all the crying that I've been doing, and figured out that just maybe I'm not over you!"
"There's nothing I can do about that!"
"Really? Not even, say, let me move on by myself? How about NOT throwing wee tea parties and pretending everything is fine and dandy, because it's NOT!" she yelled. Oh dear. This was what she had been trying to avoid… she had only come in the hopes that they could have a civilised conversation like real adults… apparently it was impossible with Remus.
"Like I said, you didn't have to come!"
"I wanted to talk to you! But you just don't listen! You're so… argh!" Tonks grabbed her hair in frustration. Jerk! Idiot! Oh I am going to slap him if he doesn't stop being such a stupid arsehole!
"I'm so argh? Wow Nymphadora, that is just what I am! I'm argh! And you know what? You're argh too!"
"Oh don't you get smart with me, Remus Lupin, I have had enough of your attitude! Don't push me!"
"I'm not touching you."
"You know what I mean!"
"Do I really? Are you sure? Remember, I'm very argh." Remus glared.
"ARGH!"
"Exactly. You've got it!"
"Screw you!" Tonks yelled.
"You already have." Remus relied calmly. Where this sarcastic version of him had come from he had no idea, but it seemed to be winning this argument for him. Not that he was entirely sure what they were fighting over anymore.
"Arsehole." Stepping forward, Tonks picked up one of the full tea cups, and threw its contents into Remus' face.
She picked up her cloak and stepped into the cold wintery evening outside.
"Bitch!" Remus gasped, his entire face soaked in hot, blackcurrant flavoured tea.
Maybe that sarcastic attitude hadn't done any good at all.
And to make matters worse, a small and very unwelcome group of men were walking along the path to his house. And he was still dripping with tea. Great. Just great. Bloody werewolves…
Tonks was wrapped up against the cold now, arms wrapped around her, pulling her cloak even closer to her slender frame. The wind was howling around her, the dark clouds rumbling overhead. She was instantly regretting walking out dramatically into the cold, but she was only a few blocks away, so apparation seemed pointless… and she needed the time to clear her head anyway. So that she wouldn't kill Remus the next time she saw him.
The sky rumbled over head, and it began to rain. Shivering, Tonks began to run.
The rain and thunder was so loud at first that she didn't hear it. A dark, ominous sound, especially in these times, not to mention this weather. The thud of someone else running behind her. But then she could see dark figures emerging out of the trees on the side of the path, making a beeline for her. Her heart was beating so loudly in her chest, in was a wonder she could hear it over the thunder. Somehow she just knew this was bad news for her. She slowed down, thinking quickly. It would be easier for them, as a group, to attack her, or whatever it was they had planned, while she was running. She stood more of a chance if she faced them…
She stopped running altogether. Turning on the spot, her eyes swivelled over the surroundings, her auror training kicking in. she had stopped in one of the poorer, mostly uninhabited streets in the area. Trees bordering a small park, old, abandoned houses, a small cluster of take out shops, all closed due to the weather, a few cars, marking the small flats in the street. Nothing that would be of much use…
"Hey babe!" one of them shouted, coming in and circling her. "How you doing?"
She had to stop a small grin from spreading on her face. Oh Joey…
"Come on darling," another one added. "Why don't you come stay with us tonight?"
Don't say anything...
"Well? Come on babe, we've got booze, we know how to have a good time…"
There were five of them, circled around her. Slowly, she puller her wand out.
"Oh shit. Fenrir, she's armed!" One of them called; a warning.
Her blood froze as one of the men stepped forward, yellow eyes gleaming in the dark and rain. "Well well. What have we here then?"
"Piss off." Her training went out the window, now that she knew what kind of scum she was dealing with. He had done this to Remus, he was the reason they couldn't be together. Her grip on her wand tightened, and she pointed it at his face. How great would it feel to blow it off? Pretty damn fantastic.
He cocked his head at her.
"Someone's brave…" he smirked, stepping forward again. A small jerk of his head had the others closing in too, one rather reluctantly though. "Or very foolish." His smile was sickening.
"I said piss off." Tonks repeated firmly. She was surprised to realise she wasn't afraid. She just wanted to beat his ugly face in for all the lives he had ruined. "And if you don't listen, I'm going to get very angry."
"Good. I like a girl who's feisty." He grinned again. A small shudder went down her spine- he looked like he was about to eat her. Which, she supposed, he might be.
"Get her."
No way! I'm getting out of here…Right. Turn. Stun, run out of circle. Make for abandoned housing- they're all joint, easy to hide in.
She snapped around, yelling her curse as she did, taking two of them out. Swiftly she jumped through the gap they had made before it was closed, running through the rain to the row of abandoned and condemned houses. Pulling on the handle, she swore when it didn't open. She could hear the yelling of those stupid werewolves behind her.
"Alohomora!" the lock clicked open, and she darted inside, locking the door again behind her. Cursing her stupidity, she stalked through the house, looking for anywhere that might lead outside, or could be an efficient hiding place. She should have known he would come after her, after all the times she had been round to see Remus. She knew he had seen her at least once. He had been about to knock when she had flung the door open to leave a few months back- it had been slightly awkward.
The door was kicked in behind her.
Swearing under her breath, she ran through the connecting door into the next house, locking the door again. Tripping, she fell face first onto the rug. She could hear the voices getting closer- they were at the next door now. She looked up. The curtain of rain was drawn around the house, and the wooden floor and walls creaked in the wind. Reaching out to lift herself up, her hand closed around a round handle-
The door smashed open.
She didn't have time to think. She flung the trapdoor open, adjusting the rug over it, and jumped in, closing the lid as she fell.
"Lumos."
She was in a crouching position- the space below was much smaller than she'd anticipated. The wand light stretched out ahead of her- a passage. A long, wooden, square, dusty passage way. She supposed this went under the whole row of houses. Lying down, she began to army crawl along, wincing every time the wooden floor below her creaked, freezing and straining her ears. After she banged her head on the top of the passage, she froze for what seemed like hours, even though it was just a few minutes. Everything was silent. Had they left?
Slowly, she inched forward.
Several things happened at once.
There was a loud bang above her head, and she was showered with wood chips and dust. A bright light was shone in her eyes, and she was heaved out of the passage.
Squirming, she opened her eyes, only to see Greyback's smirking face as she was pulled out.
"Tsk tsk. You shouldn't go running away like that, darling-"
She slapped him.
Growling, teeth bared, he tightened his grip around her waist, grabbing the wand out of her hand. "You stupid bit-"
Quickly, she thrust her hand forward, two fingers aimed for his eyes, just like she had been taught.
"Oh no you don't!" his huge hand wrapped around her small fingers, bending them backwards. She cried out as a sickening crunch sounded from his closed fist. She had forgotten about those werewolf reaction times…
"That," he snarled, "will teach you."
Tonks could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she was determined not to give in. she went for her last resort- and sent a well aimed kick with her knee. It was just enough to make him loosen his grip. She made for the passage again.
"Stop her!"
Something wrapped itself tightly around her ankles, and she went flying. Fortunately, she landed right next to the gaping hole in the floor.
Twisting, she saw a thick rope wound around her ankles. The more she moved, the tighter they got… swearing loudly, she fumbled in her jacket pocket… Moody had always insisted on carrying a back up in case what had happened to her wand happened… her fingers clasped the cold metal surface. Whipping the Swiss army knife out of her pocket she pulled the blade out, slicing through the rope. She winced as the knife skimmed against her skin, leaving a deep red cut. At least the magical reinforcement on it had ensured it cut through the rope…
"No you don't…" one of the werewolves was advancing on her, another twirling rope in his hand. Cursing, and trying to crawl into the passage at the same time, Tonks threw the knife. It found its mark, burying itself deep in his thigh. Howling he stopped, falling sideways, giving her just enough time to clamber under the ground and start to crawl frantically.
"Gotcha!" there was another blast, and a hand clasped around her already bleeding ankle. Yelling in pain Tonks twisted over and sent a kick with her other foot- this one made contact with the person's nose. She started crawling again, her heart racing.
If I ever get out of this, I am apologising to Remus for every stupid thing I've said to him. He bloody has a point… some werewolves are dangerous… this is insane hunting!
Another blow, another hand around her ankle. This grasp was firmer though, and the passage was beginning to fill with pipes (she guessed they were nearing a kitchen or water supply) so there was no room to manoeuvre a kick.
Shit. Son of a witch, shit!
Desperately, Tonks grabbed one of the nearest pipes, trying to pull herself away without bumping her broken fingers. She wasn't having much luck. Her arms were stretched, her ankle was cracking, and tears were pouring down her face. She had never, never expected anything like this to happen. She hurt all over, and she was scared. She was supposed to duel these arseholes, not be cornered by them in the middle of a storm! Concentrating as she was on keeping a hold of the pipe, she didn't notice the strange grinding sound above her head.
Her fingers lost grip on the pipe, and she started sliding backwards.
"Hey, hey, what are you doing here? I think you better put that girl back…"
Tonks was pulled out, only to come face to face with a blue phone box. She frowned, puzzled. That had not been there before…
"Didn't you hear me? I said LET HER GO!"
All the werewolves turned, and so did Tonks. Standing next to the box was a tall, thin man, wearing a suit and a long brown trench coat. (Even in a situation like this, Tonks couldn't help giving a small smile when she saw the white converse on his feet.) His messy brown hair was now dusted with splinters and dust, and he was holding what appeared to be- a screwdriver? He did not look impressed.
"How the hell did you get in here?" Fenrir demanded, baring his teeth at the new comer.
He shrugged. "Oh, just in the TARDIS."
Greyback snarled. "What the… Who the hell are you?"
Raising an eyebrow the man said simply, "I'm the Doctor. And you don't want to mess with me."
Greyback laughed, a chilling sound, and even the Doctor shivered.
"That's kind of creepy, you know."
"You made a big mistake coming here, because now we're going to have to kill you." Fenrir said, ignoring the Doctors comment, and flexing his fingers, showing his long, dirty nails.
Tonks was thrown into the arms of another werewolf, her face buried in his chest. His arms wrapped protectively under her arms, his hands clutching her shoulder blades.
Hang on…
"There's only one tiny flaw in your plan," The Doctor was saying. "You're going to have to catch me first!" and with that he ran out the kitchen door.
"Stay with her Lupin, we'll go after him!"
Tonks looked up at Remus' pained face.
"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I am so sorry."
"Wait. First…" He hadn't left yet…Greyback pulled her face around, and pressed his filthy mouth against hers, forcing her mouth open.
Slowly he pulled back, running a chilling finger down her cheek. "Later." He breathed, before running out of the room.
They were silent for a second, then Tonks gagged. Remus loosened his grip on her, looking concerned.
"Are you okay?"
"I think I'm going to be sick." Sticking her tongue out, she gagged again, spitting. Remus gave a small smile.
"Apart from that?"
She looked at him, tear tracks running through the dust on her face. "What the HELL do you think? That jerk broke two of my fingers, my ankle is swollen and cut, and I'm all set to become his…" she trailed off, shaking her head, and took a shuddering breath. Gently, Remus lowered her onto the kitchen table.
"Hand." He took her broken fingers in his scarred hand, muttering "episkey" under his breath. Then crouching on the ground, he healed her ankle. "Better?"
She nodded gingerly.
"Oh, and you might want this." He held her wand in front of her face. She grinned and pocketed it. "Dora, I am so sorry about all this… he turned up after you left, and I had no choice… when he said he had seen a good looking girl near here, I knew it would be you, and I knew if I didn't go he would hurt you even worse than he did, or he might have…" his voice caught in his throat. Tonks reached out and took his hand in hers.
"It's okay Remus. Don't worry about it." At least they weren't arguing anymore.
"Don't worry about it…" he laughed weakly. "I can't not worry about you, Dora. You're just too clumsy!"
The kitchen door flung open, and the strange Doctor darted through the door, closing it and pointing his screwdriver at it, concentrating as it made a strange buzzing sound. He turned around.
"Right, time to go, come on!"
"Hang on; you are not taking her anywhere!" Remus stepped forward, pulling out his wand. But the Doctor was quicker. Out of his pocket he pulled a handful of silver powder, and flung it in Remus' face.
He scratched at his face, yelling out in pain.
"Okay come on, into the TARDIS, lets go!" The Doctor pulled Tonks away.
"No! You didn't have to do that, he wasn't going to hurt me!"
"Tonks! Just go with him, get out of here!" Remus yelled, his face red.
"Right, see, now let's GO!" opening the door to the blue phone box, he pushed her in.
Whoa.
"You didn't have to do that!" Tonks repeated hotly, still talking in her new surroundings. "He's my friend! That better not do any permanent damage-"
"Your friend?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow, shrugging off his long jacket and throwing it over one of the support columns. "Funny crowd you hang with. But no, it won't hurt him. The powder was mostly iron filings anyway." He turned back to the huge machine in the middle. Taking a reassured breath, Tonks stepped forward.
"It's bigger…" she stopped when she saw him mouthing the words along with her. "Undetectable expansion charm then?"
The Doctor just looked at her blankly, before pushing a button, and picking up a hammer. He slammed it into the dashboard, and the grinding of the machine overtook any thoughts that had been racing through her head. It was such an unusual sound… yet so… beautiful.
"So… what's your name?" The Doctor gave the dashboard one last hit with his hammer, before sitting in a white chair.
"Tonks." She sat gingerly next to him, starring around at the huge glowing walls and columns that reminded her of trees.
"Is there a last name with that, or is it just Tonks?"
"Tonks is my last name. No one uses my first name… well, only Remus, but then again…"
"What is it?" The Doctor asked, looking at her. "I'm the Doctor, by the way." He seemed a little hyper active.
"Right. It's Nymphadora. But please, call me Tonks."
"Hello Nymphadora Tonks. Welcome aboard the TARDIS." The Doctor grinned goofily.
"TARDIS? What does that mean?" Tonks stood, walking around, starring at the huge glowing centre tube. This all looked like something out of a space movie…
"Time and relative dimension in space." He answered. "It's my ship."
"Your ship?" Tonks repeated. "SPACE ship, you mean?!"
The Doctor nodded, grinning at her amazed face.
"Are we in space right now? Can I- can I look?" she stepped towards the door.
Walking ahead, the Doctor pulled open the TARDIS door. "Meet the universe, Tonks."
"Oh wow."
Outside it was a swirling mass of colour- they were floating, just above the earth, and she could see the moon, and millions of stars…
"I never get sick of it," the Doctor said quietly from behind her. "It's so beautiful, and so small… it looks so lonely from here."
"Yeah. Yeah it does." Tonks shivered. She had to be dreaming. This was just so unreal…
"You get used to it." He grinned at her.
"As if." She looked at him, staring out at the earth, looking so serious and calm… "I don't understand." She said finally.
He snapped out of his gaze. "Understand what?" He said in a business like tone, snapping the door shut.
"It's bigger on the inside, but you don't use an undetectable expansion charm. We are floating in space, and we can breathe. This… this box, you… you're not from round here, are you?" she raised her eyebrows. This was just too weird to be from earth…
"Not exactly, no."
"But you sound like you're from the north." She had to point out. The Doctor shrugged.
"Lots of planets have a north."
"So you're not from this planet then?" He shook his head. "Which one then?"
He was silent.
Frowning, Tonks reached out to him. "Do you mind if I…" bewildered he shook his head, opening his mouth to speak, probably to protest… but her fingers touched his head, and suddenly, she was transported.
She had only used Occulumency like this a few times when she was practicing, but for her it was easier than with wands. And this… this was something completely different.
She could see his home. Two suns, and silver trees burning with an orange fire when they set… mountains that went on forever… it was so beautiful…. And a word. Time lord. But there was dust. It was all gone now. Gently, she pulled out, but not before she saw the flickering face of a young girl about her age- blonde, alone on a beach, far away, with tears rolling down her cheeks. Although she couldn't hear anything, the words "I Love you" were clearly formed on her lips.
The Doctor fell back, leaning against one of the many columns, breathing heavily and staring at her.
"I'm sorry, it's just easier, I hope it wasn't sore or anything…" she trailed off, worried. He shook his head.
"No. no, it's not that at all. I've just never met someone else who could do that. Usually I can block it as well." He mused, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her.
She blushed slightly. "Its not that hard, once you know how. Look, I hope I wasn't being overly rude or anything, it's just that, well… you're so alien. It seemed easier than having you explain it all. "
"No…I understand what you mean." he fixed his eyes on hers. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. About him."
Tonks frowned. "What?"
"As I have been told… a door once opened can be stepped through in either direction." He gave a small smile. "Remus. Your friend."
"Oh. Right. Yeah… he's… he's pretty complicated."
"And a werewolf. I've met six now." He said airily.
Tonks grinned. "Lucky you. I've had the misfortune of meeting quite a few more." Sighing, she sat in the seat again, rubbing her temple. "This is insane."
"Oh, I don't know. I've seen a lot of what's out there, and most of it's crazier than a flying police box." The Doctor sat next to her, stretching out his legs casually. "Want to know what's even crazier? It travels in time as well."
"You have a TIME MACHINE?!" Tonks shouted.
"Yes…" The Doctor moved over slightly.
"Sorry." Tonks apologised meekly. This was just… awesome crazy. No one would ever believe her if she told them she had travelled in time… hundreds, or thousands of years just weren't possible with time-turners, but with this Doctor…
"Did you… want to go somewhere then?" he asked slowly, trying (unsuccessfully) to look casual as he asked. The image of that blonde girl hovered in front of her eyes. Rose, she thought suddenly. There was obviously some history there.
"What… with you? In time?" Tonks asked, trying to hide how exciting this prospect was.
"Well… I mean you're here, in the TARDIS, we might as well go somewhere… do something fun… I mean, you seem like a nice girl… and it gets lonely, travelling by myself all the time." He looked off into space, a bit dazed. "So what do you say?" he snapped back.
"Err… YES!" Tonks couldn't help a large grin from spreading over her face. Maybe a little time travel was just what she needed to start getting her life back into shape. Just the thought of travelling to some distant planet, years in the future was making her hair buzz. Maybe things weren't so bad after all, she thought, seeing a pink strand falling in her eye.
The Doctor grinned. "Was there something you haven't told me? You don't seem to be so human yourself. Maybe that's why you didn't think I was insane when I told you a blue police box was a spaceship…" he muttered the last part to himself, eyebrows raised.
"Oh I'm human," Tonks reassured him. "There's just a little bit of magic in here." She smiled. "I'm a metamorphmagus. I can change my appearance. When I'm not in a super bad depressed mood."
"Strange." He muttered, suddenly pulling his screwdriver- well, it didn't look so much like a screwdriver up close- out of his suit pocket and turned it on her head. It glowed blue, and started making that strange buzzing sound again. "Well, there is a lot of extra activity going on your brain," He informed her. "Whole sections other humans never even knew they had buzzing with electricity." He put his screwdriver away.
Tonks shrugged lightly. "Magic." The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Well, I hope I am, otherwise there's a few million people around that planet doing some weird, advanced siince- that's what you call it, right?"
"Science, you mean?"
"Yeah. Science. Gravity, and elements, and technology. All that jazz."
"But…" The Doctor fixed her with a puzzled frown. "It's just not possible."
"Sure it is. You just think it's impossible, because you haven't seen it yet. Well, allow me to broaden your horizons." Pulling out her wand, Tonks pointed it at the Doctor. "Levicorpus." The Doctor was hoisted up into the air by his ankle, looking quite comical as he snatched at his screwdriver as it fell from his pocket. Gently, Tonks lowered him down.
"You… maybe you should warn me when you're going to do something like that. Hard to find a good sonic screwdriver these days." He was looking quite pale… she hoped that hadn't been too much for him.
"Sonic screwdriver?" she asked, putting her wand back in her cloak pocket. "Whats that do then?"
The Doctor shrugged. "Bit of this, bit of that. But it is very good at opening doors." He grinned. "Right!" he jumped out of his seat. "Well, now that we've cleared up the weird things you can do with a stick-"
"Wand." Tonks corrected him.
"-right, wand, I'm sorry, but now the big question is… do you want to go forward, or back in time?" he had his hammer again, and a maniac grin had spread across his face.
"Forward." Tonks said, grinning back. "Hundreds of years forward!"
"Alright then! Off we go, out of this world!" he started pumping a stick and turning dials. "Allons-y!"