Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews. =] Here's a new chapter! Hope you like it. I love you all!
~Ouaysis.
March, four years later
It hadn't taken long before I'd been forced to change Emilia's diaper. To make matters worse it had been about one o'clock in the morning and I'd been woken up by her mind-rattling screams. Unfortunately, since it was such an ungodly hour in the morning I couldn't just Apparate to James and Lily's and demand that Lily do it. And so I'd had no other choice than to plug my nose and change it. Granted, I'd treated it as more like a nuclear weapon (honestly, how does someone that small create something that disgusting?), but I'd thankfully gotten through the ordeal alive. Merlin, was I grateful for that phase of parenting to be over…
I felt the small body of my daughter crawl into my bed beside me and had to be content knowing that the days of midnight bottle feedings and early morning diaper changes were over. Instead I had to deal with night mares and questions—questions like "Where's my mum?" I'd been dreading this day ever since Emilia turned one. Now it was finally here I knew I couldn't avoid answering the tiny angel that snuggled against my bare chest. Despite my initial annoyance that Emilia had joined me in bed, waking me an hour before I had to go to work, a smile twisted my lips. I could never stay mad at the adorable mannerisms and wide, innocent brown eyes of my daughter.
"Daddy, you awake?" I finally heard the whispered question I'd been anticipating and sighed. There was no use denying the inevitable. I cracked my eyes open and immediately my face broke into a splitting smile.
"I am now," I said, shaking my head. "Why are you awake so early?"
I felt Emilia shrug against me and shook my head again.
"You just like making me lose sleep," I complained. A feeling of happiness washed over me, warming me from the inside out at the sound of her tinkling, childish laughter.
"Daddy, I'm hungry." Emilia said, tapping me on the shoulder.
"Should I really make you breakfast?"
As I'd hoped, Emilia giggled. I pretended to snore and then, when she pushed against me, started to tickle her.
"Daddy!" She protested, the bedroom filling with her laughter. In one swift movement I pulled the covers off and scooped my daughter up in one arm. I carried her upside down to the kitchen, where I flipped her right-side-up and slid her into a chair. The sun hadn't even come up yet as I started to make breakfast and a pot of tea.
"Could you get the eggs for me, Emmy?"
"Sure, Daddy," she said, her chair scrapping against the floor as she pushed away from the table and slid off of it. From the corner of my eye I saw her open the refrigerator and pull the stool up to it in order to reach the carton on the door. Carefully Emilia walked back towards me, cradling the carton in her toddler arms.
"Thank you, Emmy-Bear." I said, reaching down and taking the carton from her. She grinned up at me, her brown eyes shining. With her hair and big brown eyes, Emilia reminded me painfully of her mother. Her nose and mouth, the oval contour of her face and the round shape of her eyes all made me think of Danielle every time I looked at our daughter. An hour later I was showered and dressed for work. Entering Emilia's room, I found her on the floor playing with a few of her dolls.
"You ready to get dressed?" I asked as I went to her closet and looked through the many outfits hanging there. When I finally found one I liked I took it off the hanger and handed it to Emilia, who had insisted on dressing herself ever since she'd turned three a year ago.
It made me scared to know that my baby was growing up. She was supposed to stay little forever. The fact that she'd inherited my stubbornness and independence struck fear into my very core. Would she turn into me? Would she make the same stupid mistakes and allow the one person she'd ever truly loved slip away from her? I prayed that she wouldn't, but I knew that no matter what choices she made in life she would always possess my heart. As I sat down in the armchair in the corner I started to French braid Emilia's hair. When Lily had sat me down and demanded that I learn how to fix Emilia's hair I'd been horrified. I mean, what's more demeaning than a man doing hair? But through the years I'd come to realize that there was something dignifying in it. Why should I be ashamed of doing the best I could for my daughter?
"Daddy?" Emilia asked quietly as my fingers moved through her hair.
"Yes?" I asked, an unsettling feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. I knew by the resigned way she spoke that Emilia was about to ask about Danielle.
"Where is my mummy?" She asked, fiddling with the doll in her hands. I tied the end of her braid with an elastic band and sighed, lifting her into my lap.
"Well," I said, swallowing back the lump in my throat. How should I approach this? I couldn't just tell her I'm a bloody idiot and let your mum slip away; she couldn't take you home so she abandoned you here with me. But she still loves you. Emilia looked up at me expectantly and the confusion on her face nearly broke my heart.
Taking a deep breath, I let it out before answering. "Your mummy and I didn't really get along very well when she told me about you." I finally came up with. It wasn't really a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth, either. Once she was older and would understand more, I would tell her the whole story.
"And her own daddy would have been very unhappy if she'd come home with a baby. So she gave you to me, because she knew that I would take good care of you."
"Oh," the sad way that one syllable came out made pain wash through me. I wanted to protect her, but I also wanted to take away her sadness at learning her mum didn't want her. Although it wasn't necessarily that Danielle didn't want Emilia, there was still the fact that she had chosen her father over our daughter.
"Will I ever see her?"
"Maybe someday. She loves you, Emmy. If she didn't she never would have been able to leave without you." I reassured her. I stood up and put Emilia on my hip, walking to the living room and going to the mantle. I picked up a picture I had of Danielle there and, taking it out of the frame, handed it to Emilia.
"Just remember she loves you, okay?" I asked. Emilia nodded, her eyes wide as she stared down at the picture. I kissed her forehead.
"Now, you ready to go to Ms. Vickie's?"
Emilia nodded and slid out of my arms, racing back to her room to gather the toys she wanted to take to her babysitter's house. Two seconds later she returned with her small rucksack. I helped her put her shoes on and then took her hand before opening the front door and going out. Her babysitter was a Muggle neighbor who'd taken to Emilia when I'd first started caring for her. She'd immediately offered to take care of her while I went to work, saying that she missed her grandchildren. Emilia loved the old lady dearly, and I had a certain affection for her as well, so I'd readily agreed. I rang the doorbell and then bent down to Emilia's level.
"I'll come pick you up after work, I promise." I said, kissing her forehead again. "Be good for Ms. Vickie. I love you."
Emilia flashed her warm, honey-sweet smile at me and nodded.
"I will, Daddy. Can I keep mummy's picture?" She asked, holding up the photo. I was glad I'd decided to give her the Muggle photograph I had, and not the Wizard one. A moving picture wouldn't have done kindly to Ms. Vickie's heart. Danielle was sixteen in the picture; she'd given it to me while we were dating. I nodded and rested my palm on the top of Emmy's head.
"Sure, Emmy-Bear. Keep it safe for me."
She nodded, her brown eyes wide and serious. Just then Victoria opened the front door and beamed down at Emilia.
"Emmy dear, there you are! I was beginning to wonder if you weren't coming today." She said, giving me a knowing look.
"I wouldn't miss a day at your house, Ms. Vickie!" Emilia protested as Victoria opened the door wider to allow Emilia inside. I gave the older lady a kind smile and waved. Then I retreated back to my house and after locking the door, Apparated to The Ministry.
"Remus, look out!" I shouted, sending a shield charm between him and Dolohov. Spinning, I shot a curse at the Death Eater behind me and dodged his at the same time. As I did Lucius Malfoy aimed his own curse at me and I didn't have time to dodge it. Excruciating pain consumed my body and I collapsed into a writhing heap as Lucius kept his Cruciatus Curse trained on me. The pain slowly dissipated and I gasped in deep breaths, turning and climbing to my feet only to see Malfoy an unconscious mass sprawled on the grass. Just when I thought the fight was going to even out more Death Eaters started to appear around us with small pops.
I dueled furiously with Yaxley for nearly fifteen minutes, each of us dodging and sending hexes and curses at the other, until I finally got him in the chest with the Stunning Spell. He toppled to the ground, frozen.
Bursts of light flashed all around me—a chaotic blend of colors flying every which way. I ducked to avoid being hit by a stray hex as I ran towards Peter, who was battling two Death Eaters at once. Sectumsempra! I shouted in my mind, aiming my wand at the larger Death Eater. Abruptly I felt a slice on my right shoulder, followed by a burning, stinging pain. I nearly dropped my wand but managed to grab a hold of it with my left hand. Blood oozed from the wound as I frantically tried to heal it. No incantation I muttered seemed to work and soon my head was starting to spin.
No! I thought, desperately trying to remain conscious. I have to be strong for Emilia! I can't fail her now! But despite my best efforts I felt my eyes roll back into my head as the world went black, everything turning upside-down.
Groaning, I cracked my eyes open once I regained consciousness. As things slowly came into focus I recognized my surroundings as the inside of St. Mungo's. What had happened? I was acutely aware of the sharp, painful ache in my right shoulder and reached my left hand up to rub it. My palm met bandages and pain flared in my shoulder at my light touch, so I dropped my hand back to my side.
"I think he's awake." I heard a familiar voice say. Turning my head, I saw Remus and Peter sitting beside my bed. I frowned at them.
"What happened?"
"Lestrange has a killer aim," Peter said, shaking his head. "You were nearly fifty meters away."
"We're still not sure what curse she used, but it took the healer ten minutes to stop the bleeding."
I sat up abruptly and pain shot through my chest, but I ignored it.
"Emilia," I said, fumbling with the blankets and trying to get out of the bed. Remus stood up and forced me back gently.
"She's fine, Sirius."
"No," I said, shaking my head. "I promised I would pick her up after work!"
I saw him and Peter exchange looks like has he gone mental?
"I'm sure she'll understand, mate." Peter said, joining Remus on the side of my bed.
"Lily went to pick her up; she'll stay with her and James until you've fully recovered." Remus assured me, though it did nothing to ease my distress. What kind of father was I that I didn't keep my promises? My head started to spin from sitting up so I lay back against the pillows once more. Just then a healer came in, carrying a small flask of something red. It didn't look very appetizing.
"Oh good, you're awake." She said, pouring a serving of the potion into a cup and then handing it to me. I took it with my left hand, since my right shoulder exploded in pain whenever I moved it even slightly.
"Drink up," she instructed, so I put the cup to my lips and tilted my head back. The liquid wasn't revolting, like some potions I'd had to take. But it wasn't a nice cup of tea, either. I coughed from the slight sting and wiped my mouth after handing the healer back the cup.
"Daddy!" I had never been so relieved to hear the tinkling, childish sound of my daughter's voice before. Remus and Peter stepped to the side in order for me to see Emilia running towards me. James and Lily were several meters behind her, three-year-old Harry between them. A smile lit up my face despite the light-headed way I was feeling. Emmy skidded to a stop next to my bed and Remus lifted her up so that she would be able to see my face.
"Sorry I didn't pick you up, Emmy-Bear." I said. Emilia smiled at me, her eyes sparkling.
"It's okay, Daddy. Aunt Lily says I can stay with her!"
I nodded. "Yes, you're going to stay with Aunt Lily and Uncle James until I'm feeling better."
"Are you sick?" She asked seriously, her eyes going wide.
"Something like that. I will be better in a few days, okay?"
Emilia nodded, her expression still solemn. I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.
"I love you, kitten."
Emilia's face lit into a crooked grin. "Love you too, Daddy."
Remus put Emilia back down.
"What do you say you, me, and Harry go find a snack?" Lily asked, offering Emmy her hand. Emilia nodded and skipped over to her, taking her hand.
"Bye, Daddy!" Emilia said, turning back to me and waving with her free hand. I smiled and sent a small wave.
"Bye, love."
I gave Lily a look of thanks and she nodded before leading the kids away.
"How're you holding up?" James asked.
I gave a one shouldered shrug. "I'm fine. Thanks for picking up Emilia."
James nodded and clapped a hand on my good shoulder.
"What are friends for, right?"
I nodded and sighed, lying back against the pillows once more. The events of the day had been stressful, but I was content knowing that Emilia was in good hands. In fact the only hands that could be better were my own. I closed my eyes, the face of my daughter filling my mind. After taking a deep breath I slipped into the comforting embrace of sleep.